


By the Match, Not the Flame

by goshinote



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, But with youkai, Meiji Restoration, rating might go up eventually
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-16 07:27:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 26,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29078601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goshinote/pseuds/goshinote
Summary: Inuyasha is a hellbent hanyo on a mission for revenge. Kagome is a wanted miko on the run. Their intentions align in more ways than one, but secrets abound between them as they partner up during their travels. With an inevitable and impending betrayal looming over them, the pressure rises with every day they spend moving closer to the enemy’s clutches.
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha
Comments: 31
Kudos: 41





	1. The Day We Met

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MamaBearCat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MamaBearCat/gifts).



> This story is dedicated to MamaBearCat. Sending lots of love to you.
> 
> This story is set during the Meiji era (late 1800s) in Japan.There's no real need to know political stuff about this time period to understand what I talk about in the story; I’ve just set it this way as a reference for clothing, building styles, etc.
> 
> There’s also a YouTube playlist for this story. You can search “By the Match, Not the Flame” which is the title of the playlist or you can just type in my name, Jane Mason, and my little cartoon me will come up with the playlist as well as playlists for my other stories.
> 
> Also, the title of this chapter is inspired by the song The Night We Met by Lord Huron. I just changed the chapter name to Day instead of Night.
> 
> On with the story!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha or its characters. All rights to Rumiko Takahashi.

****

**Chapter 1: The Day We Met**

The forest was quiet due to the impending rainfall, and Inuyasha wondered if he would be able to make it to a town before the downpour. Based on the color of the sky, he knew he didn’t have long.

He took a sniff of the air, his hanyo abilities allowing him to somewhat gauge how close the storm was. It was going to be big based on the state of the forest as well as the scent of rain on the slightly chilled wind.

Inuyasha picked up the pace as he headed in the direction of the closest village near him. He put his hood up, effectively hiding his ears and hair so as to blend in with the humans of the village. Not all people were against youkai, but enough were that he wanted to be cautious. He also made sure his sword was hidden, not wanting to be arrested because of the laws prohibiting swords from being carried in public.

As Inuyasha walked, he felt something prickle along his senses.

It was unlike anything he’d ever felt before, so he paused despite the impending weather, curious as to what it could be.

There was a strange power coming from whatever it was, and it almost made Inuyasha’s blood run hotter. He felt something odd in his veins, coursing through him, and he wondered what on earth could be causing a reaction like that.

He looked around and dared to call out.

“Hello?”

No answer.

After a silent moment, a crack of thunder rang in the air, startling Inuyasha a bit, and the sensation went away, so he shrugged off the strange presence.

It disappeared immediately after, so he figured it was just a passing youkai. Normally youkai went out of their way to greet each other, but Inuyasha figured that one was just antisocial.

Which was fine with him. He had become somewhat of a loner, too.

 _And I can’t very well just walk up to a youkai,_ he reminded himself. _One wrong move and my plan will be completely destroyed._

Because that’s what happens to a runaway youkai nobleman.

Inuyasha resumed his route to the village and managed to make it to an inn just as the rain began to fall.

The inn-owner greeted him before helping Inuyasha check in. Once he’d gotten a room key and paid for the night, he departed and went to his room.

As he prepared for bed, he started to make a plan for the near future.

There had been no recent word about Naraku’s whereabouts in the last few towns he’d been to, and he was getting frustrated as each day passed without a sign of the evil youkai.

 _This was so much easier when Miroku was with me,_ he grumbled silently as he lay down. _Stupid idiot. I can’t believe he did this to me._

Miroku was a fool. 

Inuyasha refused to be like him.

_“Someday you’ll understand why I’m doing this.”_

That was the last thing Miroku had said to Inuyasha before leaving.

In all honesty, it kind of hurt.

But that kind of thing wouldn’t make Inuyasha stagger or give up. No way.

The biggest problem was that Miroku was always the one who was able to coax information from people. With his good and obviously _human_ looks and his smooth words, they were able to at least map out Naraku’s movements, even though they always seemed to be at least two steps behind him.

So now Inuyasha was alone, Miroku having abandoned him rather recently, and since he was a somewhat surly hanyo who obviously looked non-human, it was a hell of a lot harder to get information from people.

But it was his life now, and he knew that it would all be worth it in the end.

At that point, revenge was what kept him going through everything.

Now if he could just find Naraku.

A crash of thunder rang through the air, jolting Inuyasha from his thoughts. He took a deep breath and got into bed, hoping the rain would stop by the time morning came.

As Inuyasha lay in bed, he realized that he didn’t even know where to _begin_ to make a plan.

_I guess I could just walk around the town and ask people. That sounds stupid, but what else can I do?_

He huffed and rolled over in his bed. He would just deal with it tomorrow.

o.O.o

The next day, the rain had cleared up, so it was fairly easy for Inuyasha to make his way through the town. He kept the hood of his cloak up as usual to conceal his ears and hair, and he was pretty sure it made him look even more unfriendly than usual.

_Not as unfriendly as people would be if they saw I’m a youkai, though._

He stopped at a small kiosk to get some fruit for breakfast, using the opportunity to ask the vendor if he had any information about Naraku.

“Naraku?” the vendor repeated. “Oh, he’s an evil one. Why would you want to know where he is?”

Inuyasha hesitated. “Uh, just...being cautious.”

The vendor shook his head. “Well, if you want to be cautious, I would just stay away from him, boy. He’s not one to mess with.”

 _I know that,_ Inuyasha grumbled silently. _This man is annoying...what would Miroku say?_

“Um,” Inuyasha stuttered, “well, I am trying to be cautious. If I find out where he is, I’m hoping to move in the opposite direction.”

The vendor nodded. “Oh, I see. Well, unfortunately I can’t help you. I don’t know of his whereabouts.”

“Do you know someone who might?” the hanyo asked. The vendor seemed to think for a moment. He looked at Inuyasha, a calculating expression on his face.

It almost felt like he was... _observing_ him for some reason.

“There’s an old swordsmith down south,” he finally whispered. “He lives in a cave off the Sakurajima volcano, which is on an island so you’ll have to take a boat to get there. He’s a youkai so he’ll probably be hard to find, but he’s a wise one. He might know something.”

Inuyasha nearly sighed in relief, but he kept himself composed.

But then he wondered...how did a human know about a youkai swordsmith?

“Thank you,” Inuyasha replied. “But if you don’t mind me asking, how do you know about a youkai swordsmith?”

The vendor shrugged. “When you’re as old as me, you learn a few things.”

Inuyasha hummed and didn’t press the issue any further. He had a potential lead on how to find Naraku’s whereabouts, and he didn’t want to waste it. 

With an incline of his head, Inuyasha thanked the vendor and paid for his fruit.

“Thanks for the help,” Inuyasha said before he departed.

 _A youkai swordsmith?_ he repeated to himself as he munched on his fruit. _Down near Sakurajima volcano...I’ll have to go back to my room and check my map to see where that is._

o.O.o

Inuyasha spent the rest of the morning mapping out his route.

_Let’s see...from Musashi to the Sakurajima volcano…_

He sighed. It would take about a week to get there.

Gathering his travel supplies, he neatly tucked them into his bag and put it back on his bed. It was nearing lunchtime, so he got up to go find something to eat.

But then he felt the same power from yesterday.

Just as it had the day before, his blood became hotter and he felt a strange sensation start to fill his body.

He frowned and paused. 

_This is weird...I’m gonna go check it out._

He sensed it was coming from the forest, so he left his room at the inn and adjusted his hood, walking toward the treeline and keeping his eyes peeled for whatever it could be.

He could tell there was someone there, so he peered through the trees, trying to find whoever it was.

“Hello?” he called when he got into the forest. “Who’s there?” He reached his hand into his cloak and set a hand on the hilt of the sword at his side as he continued looking around.

A figure briefly appeared in the trees, so Inuyasha scrutinized the area.

“I know you’re there,” he called. “So come out.”

He heard a quiet squeak before a cloaked figure came out from behind a tree.

“What do you want?” a feminine voice called.

Inuyasha frowned. The cloak covered her entire body, brushing the forest floor by her feet. The hood was up, concealing her hair and face from his view. There was a bow slung over her back and a quiver full of arrows knocking against it.

“Why are you following me?” Inuyasha demanded. “Who are you?”

The woman was quiet for a moment. Finally, she spoke.

“I’m not following you,” she replied. “I haven’t given any indication that I am.”

Inuyasha frowned. “Liar. I know you came near me yesterday _and_ just now. You expect me to believe it’s a coincidence?”

“That’s not so inconceivable, is it?” she asked. “So leave me alone. I’ve got stuff to do.”

She turned to walk away, but there was something nagging at Inuyasha’s gut.

There was an instinct to not let her walk away. He didn’t know why, but he was certain that there was something about this woman that he needed to know.

That power...there was something inexplicable about it. 

“Wait a second,” Inuyasha called. “To make up for my accusation, why don’t you let me buy you a drink? There’s a pretty good tavern in town.”

The woman turned toward him, slightly lifting her head.

It was the first view he’d gotten of her; it was just her eyes, but they struck him.

Piercing blue, full of questions and suspicion.

“You accuse me of stalking you,” she began slowly, “and then you ask me on a date?”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “It’s _not_ a date, stupid. It’s a peace offering.”

The woman lifted her head up a bit more. Inuyasha could see her frown, but he could also see her considering his offer.

“Fine,” she replied as she moved toward him. “But I’m ordering the most expensive drink they have.”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and was about to make a fiery retort, but the woman had his words freezing in his throat when she tossed her hood back.

A long mane of wavy, black hair erupted from the hood. It cascaded down her back in smooth tendrils.

She ran her hands through it, adjusting the wild pieces so they weren’t sticking out everywhere.

Inuyasha’s eyes widened when she turned around to face him with an expectant look on her face.

Her lips were set in a frown, and he desperately wondered what she would look like if she were smiling. 

Her blue eyes were framed by short but full lashes, and they only accentuated the sharp color.

She was beautiful.

And her _scent_...with the hood down and her hair flowing free, he could finally smell her.

She smelled like...chocolate and cherries. He almost wondered if she was carrying chocolate with her, but it was such a _deep_ and _heavy_ scent that he knew it was just _her._

It was heavenly.

But then she opened her mouth.

“Well, are you coming?” she asked.

Inuyasha frowned at her.

_Now is not the time to be thinking of a woman like that, not ever. I have a mission. I’m not like Miroku, the idiot._

And besides...with the impression this woman was leaving on him, beauty wasn’t something that would charm him enough to go against his adamant swear.

He would not allow a woman into his heart.

“You’re annoying,” Inuyasha finally said as he walked forward, brushing past her. “It’s gonna be one drink. That’s about all I’ll be able to stand.”

The woman huffed. “You’re _rude._ The only reason I’m doing this is because you’re buying but I can already tell I’m gonna hate every second I spend with you.”

Inuyasha growled lowly. If it weren’t for his curiosity, he would’ve been out of there the second she’d opened her mouth again.

“Did you just growl?” she asked, the irritation in her voice replaced by a curiosity of her own.

Inuyasha looked away. “I...what business is it of yours?”

The woman shrugged, her anger melted away. “I’m just wondering. I’ve only ever heard youkai growl like that. I thought you might be a youkai, but I wasn’t sure so--”

“So what?” he interrupted, his gaze shooting up to meet hers. “You wanted to know if I’m a youkai so you can know to avoid me? So you can have an excuse to not go anywhere with me?”

The woman’s eyes widened and took on an offended hue. “What? Of course not! I’m not prejudiced against youkai.” She scoffed. “You shouldn’t make such brash assumptions. You’ve done that twice with me and you’ve been wrong both times.”

Inuyasha frowned. “Really?”

The woman finally gave a half-smile. “Really. It was only your growl that gave you away. I can’t see any youkai traits with your hood up like that.” She peered at him a bit more. “Oh, wait. I see...golden eyes. And is that a glint of a fang? Are you a wolf-youkai?”

Inuyasha growled again, this time a bit louder. “A _wolf_ -youkai? You stupid woman. Of course not.”

The woman laughed. “Oh, I see. Sounds like you hate wolves. You must be an inu-youkai then.”

Inuyasha’s brows narrowed. “I am. You seem to know a lot about youkai for a human...why is that?”

The woman smirked. “Who said I was a human?”

Inuyasha’s eyes widened, and the woman laughed immediately.

_If she’s a youkai, will she turn me in?_

“Just kidding,” she said. “I’m a human. You should’ve seen the look on your face just now. That was so funny.”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”

They continued on to the tavern, walking silently until they’d arrived and were seated at a table before placing their drink orders.

“Are you hungry?” the woman asked. “If you buy drinks, I’ll buy food.”

Inuyasha frowned. “Really? You’re offering to buy me a meal?”

The woman shrugged and peered at the menu. “Why not? It’s lunchtime anyway.”

Inuyasha picked up the menu in front of him, keeping a suspicious gaze on the woman.

“How are you supposed to pick what you want,” the woman began while keeping her eyes on the menu, “when you’re staring at me instead of looking at the options?”

Flipping the menu up, Inuyasha blocked the woman’s view of him.

He picked the first thing he saw, which was a simple baked chicken with vegetables, and put the menu down, being careful to avoid the woman’s gaze.

Her menu was already down and she was taking her drink from the waiter with a quick thanks. Inuyasha nodded when the waiter handed him his drink.

They both placed their meal orders, and when the waiter was gone, the woman took a swig from her mug.

“So,” she began when she set the drink down, “what’s your name?”

Inuyasha frowned. “Inuyasha.”

“Inuyasha?” she repeated. “Oh, I get it. ‘Inu’ because you’re a dog youkai.” Inuyasha rolled his eyes. 

_Come on, Father...did you really have to give me such a_ doggish _name?_

“That’s a nice name,” she continued. “Mine is Kagome.”

_Kagome...that’s odd._

“That’s a weird name,” he replied flatly. Kagome laughed.

“Yours is, too,” she pointed out. “It’s nice, but definitely a bit strange.”

That was when Inuyasha officially decided that Kagome was an annoying woman.

“Whatever,” he said. “So what’s your deal?”

Kagome frowned. “What do you mean?”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “You’ve been traipsing around a forest alone with some strange power coming from you. What’s all that about?”

Kagome froze. “You sensed a power coming from me?”

Her sudden unease surprised him, so he pressed further.

“Yeah,” he replied. “It’s weird. What is it?”

Kagome hesitated. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Oh, come on,” Inuyasha said. “Why don’t--”

“It’s personal,” Kagome interrupted. “I’m not sitting here asking you stuff about your personal life.”

Inuyasha was taken aback, but she had a point.

“Alright,” he conceded. “I’m sorry. Can you at least tell me why you’re alone?”

Kagome hesitated again. “There are...people after me. I’m on the run, I guess you could say.”

_I wonder if that has to do with whatever the power is. This woman seems like a handful._

“What about you?” she asked. “Why are you alone?”

Inuyasha scoffed. “What makes you think I’m alone?”

Kagome peered at him, obviously seeing right through him.

“Alright, yeah,” he admitted. “I’m alone. I used to travel with someone, but he’s not with me anymore.”

“Aren’t you lonely?” Kagome asked. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

“Keh,” he scoffed. “Not hardly, stupid.” Kagome frowned.

“There’s nothing wrong with it,” she insisted. “I feel lonely sometimes. It’s just a part of human nature.”

“I’m not human,” Inuyasha replied. “So that doesn’t apply to me.”

Kagome smiled. “Oh, but you’re part-human, aren’t you?”

Inuyasha’s eyes widened. “What...how did you know that? Come to think of it...you said you thought I was a youkai in the forest even before you saw my...features. How would you have known that?”

Kagome shrugged. “I have a sixth sense, I guess you could say.”

Inuyasha’s ears twitched from underneath his hood. There was something odd about this woman, something that set him on edge with every passing moment.

“A sixth sense,” Inuyasha repeated. “Would that have anything to do with the power I keep sensing from you?”

Kagome hummed. “Maybe. I might tell you about it if you’re nice to me.”

“I’m buying you a drink, woman,” he said flatly. “Doesn’t that constitute as ‘nice?’”

“And I’m buying you a meal,” she pointed out. “It just means we’re even.”

Inuyasha couldn’t help but chuckle. “You must think you’re pretty clever, huh?”

Kagome smirked. “A bit. So, Inuyasha, what’s your mission in life?”

“My mission?” he repeated. Kagome nodded.

“We’ve all got one,” she replied. “What’s yours?”

_To find Naraku….to get revenge….vengeance._

“Don’t have one,” he lied. “I just go through my days.”

“That sounds sad,” Kagome replied. “Doesn’t that make you...well, sad?”

Inuyasha scoffed. “No. What about you? You’re on the run from whomever for whatever secret reason you have. That’s way more depressing.”

Kagome laughed. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

The waiter arrived with their food and set it on the table. The chicken smelled _delicious,_ and Inuyasha was ready to dig right in.

He glanced up to see Kagome admiring her own food.

She’d gotten chicken as well, but it was fried and situated on a bed of potatoes.

“Yum,” she said as she picked up her fork. “I’ve never been here before. I’m glad you suggested it.”

Inuyasha took a bite of his food. “You’re paying, so thank yourself.”

Kagome chuckled. “Okay. Thanks, Kagome.” Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

“So now what will you do?” Inuyasha asked as they continued eating. “You say you’re on the run...where will you go?”

Kagome hummed. “Huh, that’s a good question. I feel pretty safe in this area for now, so I might stay here awhile. I’m not sure.”

“How long have you been on the run?” Inuyasha asked. Kagome paused to think.

“A while,” she replied. “I think it’s been...I don’t know. A while.”

Inuyasha peered at her. “Do you think you’ll ever be able to stop being on the run?”

Kagome shook her head. “No. Never.” 

“Why not?” Inuyasha asked, genuinely concerned. 

Kagome sighed. “I...have something that a very dangerous person wants.” 

“What is it?” Inuyasha asked. Kagome rolled her eyes.

“I’m not gonna tell you,” she replied. “What if you’re another dangerous person who wants it?”

Inuyasha scoffed. “I’m not one to steal. Besides...I’ve got my own power.” _I guess Tessaiga counts. Not like it even does anything, though._ “I don’t need anything of yours.”

“And what is yours?” Kagome asked. “Your youkai powers?” Inuyasha frowned.

“That’s _my_ business,” he replied. “Not yours. Besides, I asked you first.” Kagome laughed.

“It seems like we’re at an impasse,” she said with a smile. “Keep your secrets. I’ll keep mine.”

Inuyasha had more questions he was dying to ask her, but they were nearing the end of their meal and he could tell she wouldn’t answer any more of his questions.

When they were finished, Inuyasha paid for drinks and Kagome paid for the meal. They parted ways outside the front door of the tavern.

“It was nice meeting you,” Kagome said as she turned to face him. “I doubt we’ll cross paths again, but this was a nice afternoon.”

Inuyasha felt something in his chest. Disappointment, maybe?

“Yeah,” he replied. “Nice meeting you.”

She smiled at him a final time, blue eyes shining, before she pulled her hood up and headed in the direction of the forest.

Inuyasha stared after her until she was out of sight before he went back to the inn.

_This has been a strange day..._

o.O.o

The next day, Inuyasha figured it was about time to head out on his journey south.

As he made his way through the town, he couldn’t help but look for Kagome. She was nowhere to be found, and the disappointment from the previous evening was back full-force.

But then.

He caught a whiff of Naraku’s scent. His eyes widened and he turned, trying to figure out where it was coming from.

_The forest!_

Inuyasha ran off in search of the scent. He could tell it wasn’t Naraku himself; he figured it was one of his lackeys.

Sure enough, he caught sight of Kagura, one of Naraku’s righthand women.

Before he could attack, he found someone else there, and the sight had him freezing and hiding behind a tree.

“Give it to me!” Kagura screamed at Kagome of all people.

“No!” Kagome yelled back from where she was seated on the ground. “You can’t have it!”

Kagura raised her fan, obviously bracing for an attack. 

Inuyasha was about to run out to try and stop her when Kagome held her hands up and sent a blast of power in Kagura’s direction.

Kagura screamed in pain, skin glowing, and when she saw Kagome move to make another attack, she pulled the feather from her hair and transformed it before flying away.

 _Was that_ spiritual power? _Is Kagome a miko?_

“This is the _last_ time I’m doing Naraku’s dirty work!” Kagura shouted before she disappeared from sight.

Once Kagome was alone, Inuyasha saw her take a deep breath before getting up off the ground. She adjusted her cloak and fixed the hood over her head before walking away.

 _She has a tie to Naraku?_ he pondered. _Wait, Kagura said...Naraku wants something from her? Is_ he _the one Kagome is running from?_

Inuyasha’s eyes widened. _Is Kagome the key to finding Naraku?_

Inuyasha wasn’t a malicious hanyo, but he was a desperate one, and desperate times called for desperate measures. 

_If I can somehow team up with Kagome, I can use her to lure out Naraku. If I bait him with her like that, there’s no way he’ll be able to resist. If I tell her I’m looking for him, too, maybe she’ll be more inclined to help._

He paused. That wouldn’t work. Kagome was running _away_ from Naraku. Inuyasha was running _toward_ him. If Kagome knew what Inuyasha was trying to do, she wouldn’t want to team up with him.

 _Then I just won’t tell her I’m looking for Naraku. Hell, I won’t even tell her I_ know _about him. It’ll be perfect._

He mentally patted himself on the back for coming up with such a good plan.

To make it seem like he hadn’t watched the scene transpire, he let Kagome get a good distance away before he moved to catch up with her.

When he did, she jumped a little. 

“Inuyasha, hi,” she said when she turned around to see him. “What are you doing out here?”

Inuyasha shrugged. “I’m leaving the town. Are you?” Kagome nodded.

“Yeah, I’m off to the next place,” she replied. “I changed my mind about staying here.”

“Do you want to team up?” Inuyasha asked suddenly. “Maybe travel together?”

Kagome’s eyes widened. “What?”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “Come on, woman. You’re off to do whatever and I’m not really doing any sort of ‘whatever,’ so why don’t we do your whatever together?”

Kagome hesitated. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. The person who’s after me is really dangerous.”

_If she only knew…_

“Then let me be your personal guard,” he offered. Kagome scoffed.

“Excuse you,” she said. “I don’t need you to be my guard. I can take care of myself.”

Inuyasha thought about the way she’d fought Kagura off with one blow. Hopefully she wasn’t the type to use her powers when she was mad...well, he would find out.

He knew she could protect herself, but he still needed to get her to let him tag along.

“Fine,” he replied curtly. “But...you were right. It actually is pretty sad to just go through my days without any real purpose. And, uh, lonely, too.” He winced at the lie. He sounded _so_ lame. “So...what do you say?”

Kagome bit her lip, obviously thinking it over.

“Okay, fine,” she replied. “But only because you’re tugging at my heartstrings.”

Inuyasha scowled. “Don’t say it like that, stupid.” Kagome laughed.

“Fine, fine,” she replied. “We can travel together.”

“Really?” Inuyasha asked. Kagome shrugged.

“Sure,” she replied. “But you’re not allowed to be mean to me. That’s a rule.”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

_The things I do for revenge…_

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome eyed the hanyo next to her.

He was quiet and a little grumpy, which had been her initial impression of him. 

But she could see something else in his golden eyes. 

It was pain. Loneliness. 

Maybe even...sadness?

Whatever it was, Kagome felt bad for him. It was why she’d agreed to have a drink with him after their rocky initial meeting.

She could tell that under the gruff exterior, he was actually sort of nice. Maybe not friendly, but not hateful.

Kagome knew he wasn’t hateful in the slightest.

She wondered what he looked like without his hood up, though.

And she wondered what he looked like when he smiled.

He’d already smirked at her a couple of times, and she’d been lucky enough to get a small glimpse of his fangs.

But she still wondered what he would look like with a wide, unbridled smile on his face.

She’d been almost disappointed when they parted ways, but she was a wanderer, a fugitive of sorts, and staying in one spot for too long was dangerous.

Especially since Inuyasha had been able to sense the Shikon no Tama coming from her. He wouldn't have known what it was, but still.

As she walked away from the tavern, nervousness began to knot in the pit of her stomach.

 _If Inuyasha could sense it, who else could?_ she wondered. _He didn’t react as a full-youkai would have, which is good, but if a hanyo could still sense it so clearly, any other youkai could, too. It would be especially tempting for them._

She sighed. She would need to perform some sort of purification ritual. If someone found her based on the jewel’s alluring call of power, she would be done for. The target on her back was already big enough with Naraku after her; her spiritual powers were strong, but even she had her limits.

As she walked into the forest to find her makeshift camp for the rest of the day, she thought back on her afternoon with Inuyasha.

If anything, it was a nice distraction. She knew she’d never see him again, but…

It was nice.

o.O.o

The next day, Kagome was packing her up items from her small camp when she sensed Naraku.

She froze and looked up, expecting to see the red-eyed monster himself.

There was a red-eyed monster staring back at her, but it wasn’t Naraku.

“Kagura,” she greeted coolly. “What are you doing here? Naraku still refusing to sully his own hands?”

Kagura laughed coldly. “You know Naraku. Can’t do anything for himself.” She opened her fan and aimed it at Kagome.

“Now are you ready to hand over the Shikon no Tama?” Kagura demanded.

Kagome glared at her. “You must be crazy if you think I’ll ever let the jewel fall into Naraku’s hands.”

Kagura moved her fan, sending a blast of wind at Kagome and knocking her roughly to the ground.

Calling her spiritual power into her hands, Kagome prepared herself to fight.

“Give it to me!” Kagura demanded.

“No!” Kagome yelled. “You can’t have it!”

She hit Kagura with a blast of spiritual power, effectively hitting the wind sorceress and causing her to cry out in pain.

It was a short confrontation, during which Kagome was able to fight off Kagura enough for her to depart on her feather.

When she was gone, Kagome took a deep breath and stood up. She brushed the dirt off of her cloak and tried to steady her breathing.

_Well, it’s definitely time to leave this town. Now that Kagura has run off, I should have time to get a good distance away from here._

She sighed and grabbed her bag.

_Always running…_

She had only made it a short distance when Inuyasha caught up with her. Kagome was surprised to hear his request to join her, and it also filled her with hesitation.

 _I don’t want to put him in harm’s way...Naraku is pure_ evil. _I don't want Inuyasha to be at risk of getting hurt by him._

But the hanyo was persistent, so Kagome agreed, figuring with his youkai strength, maybe he could even help her fight off Kagura or any of Naraku’s other underlings if they managed to find her again.

Which, based on many, _many_ past experiences, they would eventually.

And Inuyasha said he had nowhere else to go and nothing else to do, so…

_Why not?_

“Okay. Let’s just head out now and we can figure out a plan later. Is that alright with you?”

Inuyasha nodded. “Sure.”

They set off, and Kagome glanced at the hanyo by her side, wondering what was going through his mind.

_Maybe I’ll find out...eventually._

To be continued…


	2. Wandering Child

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited: 2/8/2021. Error in timeline/distances. It will actually take them two weeks to get from Musashi to Sakurajima Volcano. My bad.
> 
> Chapter title is inspired by the song Wandering Child by Wild Rivers.
> 
> Every chapter will be named after a song that has a similar vibe to what is in the contents of the chapter, so you might be able to find some little easter eggs. All the songs can be found on the YouTube playlist for this story.
> 
> I’ve done a lot of geographical research, honestly a bit more than I’ve done for any other story, so the distances and locations are confirmed. Maybe I’ll do some fun map stuff on tumblr at some point…
> 
> Wow, can you tell I’m a nerdy historian?
> 
> Sakurajima actually is a real volcano, and during the Meiji Restoration, it was on an island. It’s since evolved into a peninsula, but it’s still an island in this story because of this time period. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in a comment or you can send me a PM/Ask on tumblr and I’ll answer to the best of my ability :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha or its characters. All rights to Rumiko Takahashi.

**Chapter 2: Wandering Child**

As they began their first day of traveling together, they were quiet until mid-afternoon when Kagome finally broke the silence.

“So, Inuyasha,” she began, “tell me about yourself.”

Inuyasha frowned at her. “Nothin’ to tell.”

Kagome laughed. “Oh, come on. What do I need to know about you? If we’re going to travel together, we should know each other’s...I don’t know, pet peeves or whatever.”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “That’s stupid.”

“Just humor me,” Kagome countered. “Let me think of something _simple_ I can ask...uh, how old are you?”

Inuyasha eyed her. “Sixty.” 

“Sixty?” Kagome repeated. “Wow! You barely look older than me. I'm twenty.”

Inuyasha scoffed. “Youkai age differently. I stopped aging several years ago.”

“When’s your birthday?” she pressed.

“Summer,” he replied curtly. “Now quit asking me questions. I already told you what you need to know about me. It’s _you_ that has all the mystery. And, hey, what happened to ‘you keep your secrets and I’ll keep mine?’”

Kagome winced. _He’s got me there, but it’s not like I’m against telling him_ anything _about myself._

“That doesn’t mean we can’t get to know each other a bit more,” Kagome pointed out. “I just want to ask you about little things, you know? I’m talking about stuff like...what’s your favorite color?”

Inuyasha looked at her, deadpanned. “My...favorite color?”

Kagome nodded. “Yeah. Mine is green.”

The hanyo looked annoyed. “I don’t have a favorite color. I don’t have a favorite anything.”

Kagome laughed. “Well, maybe you’ll find one along the way.”

“Are you always this irritating?” Inuyasha asked. “You’re so...chipper.”

_And he’s grouchy._

“Hey, remember the rule?” Kagome asked. “You’re not allowed to be mean to me. And if I irritate you so much, why would you want to travel with me?”

Inuyasha didn’t answer her for a moment.

Finally, he spoke.

“I’ve got nothing else to do, remember?” 

Kagome hummed. “Fair enough.”

“Do you have a destination in mind?” Inuyasha asked. Kagome shook her head.

“No,” she admitted. “I just kind of wander and lie low.”

Inuyasha nodded. “Okay...then would you be alright if we went to see a swordsmith? I need to, uh, get my sword sharpened.”

Kagome shrugged. “Sure. I think the nearest one is a town over. We could stop there.”

“No,” Inuyasha replied quickly. “I need to see a...special swordsmith. A _youkai_ swordsmith.”

 _Oh, that makes sense,_ Kagome mused. _I hope he’s not offended that I assumed he’d be okay with a human one._

“That’s fine,” she replied. “Whatever you’re most comfortable with. Where is the swordsmith located?”

Inuyasha mumbled an answer that Kagome didn’t quite hear.

“What was that?” she asked.

“Sakurajima volcano,” he muttered.

Kagome’s eyes widened. _He wants to go all the way_ there? _That’s insane!_

“Sakurajima volcano? That’s two weeks away!”

Inuyasha frowned. “No, it’s not! It’s only one.”

Kagome shook her head. “Maybe for a youkai who can run fast and doesn’t need to stop much, but I’m a _human.”_

Inuyasha growled. “Then I guess we’ve got a two-week-long journey ahead of us.” He paused. “How did you know how far away it is? Have you been there before?”

“I’ve been near there,” Kagome replied. “I’ve walked the whole country, just about.”

Inuyasha scoffed. “Keh, then why are you complaining? What’s a little extra walking?”

Kagome rolled her eyes. “I’m not complaining. We can go to Sakurajima. It’s fine.”

Inuyasha nodded. “Great. I already have a route planned.” He paused to grab a map out of his bag.

They took a few minutes to look over it before setting out again.

Kagome laughed. “So I just realized that you totally lied.”

Inuyasha froze and looked at her with dread in his eyes.

“What?”

Kagome smiled. “You _do_ have a mission. To get to the swordsmith, right? You’ve already got your route planned and everything. You could’ve told me. It’s not like it’s something you would’ve had to hide.”

Inuyasha seemed to relax. “Oh. Right. My bad.”

She eyed him, wondering what that odd reaction was about, but she didn’t say anything else.

The walk was silent until nightfall; the only time they spoke was when Kagome offered him food from her bag.

Eventually, once it started getting rather late, Kagome asked if they could stop for the night.

Inuyasha groaned. “You want to stop already?”

Kagome glared at him. “I’m a human and it’s getting late. Humans need _sleep._ Plus, it’s starting to get a little chilly. I can build us a fire.”

Inuyasha was obviously fuming, but he agreed.

“Fine. I’ll go get some firewood.” 

“I can go get it,” Kagome protested. Inuyasha waved her off and walked away.

Kagome frowned at him as he went further into the forest.

 _He seems to be in a perpetual bad mood,_ she realized. _Maybe traveling with him isn’t such a good idea…_

When he returned, Kagome voiced that concern.

“What do you mean it’s not a good idea?” Inuyasha asked. “Are you already tired of me?”

Kagome huffed. “No, but you certainly already seem tired of _me.”_

Inuyasha looked taken aback. “I wasn’t…I’m sorry. Just let me continue traveling with you. Please.”

It was the most sincerity she’d ever heard in his voice, so she nodded.

“Okay,” she replied. “I have some more food in my bag. Are you hungry?”

Inuyasha shrugged and set the firewood down before starting a fire.

As he got the fire going, Kagome pulled some bread out of her bag and handed a piece to Inuyasha.

Before he started to eat, he pulled his hood down for the first time.

Kagome gasped.

_Ears!_

Inuyasha jumped at her gasp. “What is it?”

Kagome’s eyes locked on the little dog ears sitting atop the wild mess of silver hair that flowed down his back.

“You have such cute ears!” she exclaimed.

Inuyasha grimaced. “They’re not cute.”

“Can I touch them?”

“No.”

“Please?”

 _“No,_ woman!”

Inuyasha growled and threw his hood back up, hiding his ears from sight.

“Don’t hide them,” Kagome begged. “I promise I won’t ask to touch them. Besides, they must get uncomfortable under there. They’re all tucked into a hood.”

Inuyasha hesitated before frowning at her. “You swear you won’t ask to touch?”

Kagome nodded. “I swear.”

Inuyasha huffed and pulled the hood off again.

Kagome smiled as his ears twitched a bit, obviously getting used to their newfound freedom from the hood.

When Inuyasha frowned at her admiration, she looked away and nibbled on her bread.

As they ate silently, she snuck another peak at him. It was the first time she actually got to see more than his face.

His eyes looked more golden in the light of the fire, and his mane of silver hair was practically glowing. His unruly bangs hung in his face, and Kagome wondered how long it had been since he’d run a comb through his long locks. His hair wasn’t messy, per say...just wild. 

His other features were strong as well. Sharp eyebrows, straight nose, defined jaw...

Inuyasha...was handsome.

 _He might be the most handsome guy--er,_ half _-guy, I’ve ever seen._

Inuyasha caught her looking.

“What did I say about--”

 _And the grumpiest..._

“I wasn’t looking at your ears!” Kagome cut in. “I promise.”

“What were you looking at then?” Inuyasha asked suspiciously.

Kagome shrugged. “This is the first time I’ve seen you without your hood up. I was just...seeing what you look like without it.”

Inuyasha looked away from her.

“I look like a youkai,” he admitted disdainfully. “So...I hide my appearance as often as I can. It’s easier to get by.”

Kagome frowned. “Well, you don’t have to hide your appearance around me. I won’t ever judge you or think less of you just because you’re a youkai. I’m not that kind of person.”

Inuyasha looked at her then, and she thought she saw a small flash of guilt run through his eyes, but it was gone just as quickly.

“I’m still hungry,” he announced as he stood up. “I’m gonna go find us some real food. Maybe a deer or something.”

Kagome nodded. “Okay, thank you.” Inuyasha didn’t respond before heading deeper into the forest.

When he was gone, Kagome sighed.

_What have I gotten myself into?_

She hoped she’d made the right decision in teaming up with him. 

Her next task was to perform a purification ritual for the jewel, but with Inuyasha now traveling with her, she wasn’t sure how willing he’d be to stop so she could do it. She would also need to do it in secret to keep him from finding out about it...

_I’ll just have to ask him if we can make a quick stop tomorrow, I guess. I get the feeling that he won’t be pleased with that idea, though…_

In an attempt to calm her nerves, she rummaged around in her bag until she found her roll of yarn and knitting needles. That always helped to calm her down.

When Inuyasha returned, he looked at her like she was crazy.

“What are you doing?”

She didn’t look up from her task. “Knitting. It helps me relax.”

Inuyasha scoffed. “You look like an old lady,” he said as he started preparing the deer he’d caught. Rolling her eyes, Kagome decided to wait until they’d started eating the meat to ask him about stopping.

When the meat was cooked, Inuyasha gave some to her after she put her knitting stuff away.

After a moment of mustering up her courage, she took a deep breath.

“So, uh, Inuyasha,” she began, “do you think we could make a quick stop tomorrow?”

Inuyasha gaped at her with a handful of meat halfway to his mouth. “What? Already?”

Kagome shifted uncomfortably. “Yeah...please. I have to do something. Maybe we could stop near, like, a waterfall or something?”

“There’s a river nearby,” he replied. “Can’t you just use that?”

Kagome shook her head. “I need a waterfall.”

For a moment, Inuyasha looked like he was going to argue.

Then he calmed.

“Fine,” he replied curtly. “But what could you possibly need to do at a waterfall?”

“Um…it has to do with what people are trying to get from me.”

“Which means you can’t tell me?”

“Uh, right...”

Inuyasha scoffed. “Keh. Whatever. We can stop at the first _waterfall_ we see tomorrow. How long will it take?”

Kagome thought for a moment. “It usually only takes about twenty minutes, so it won’t put us out too much. I’m sorry. I wouldn’t ask unless it were really important.”

Inuyasha looked at her for a quiet moment before he finally nodded.

“Alright,” he replied as he started eating. “But it’s gonna be a one-time stop. We can’t keep taking random breaks.”

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay. Thanks.”

_The jewel is like a target on my back. I don’t want to have more people come after me, let alone put Inuyasha in danger. He’s grumpy and seems to always be annoyed, but we’re still traveling together. It wouldn’t be right to put him in danger._

They fell into silence as they continued their meal. Kagome was too worried to chat, but Inuyasha didn’t seem to mind the quiet.

“You said there was a river nearby?” Kagome asked after they finished eating. At Inuyasha’s nod, Kagome stood up.

“Which way is it?” she asked. “I’d like to freshen up before I go to sleep.”

Inuyasha nodded in the direction of the river. 

“Thanks,” Kagome said. “Do you want to come, too?”

Inuyasha shook his head. “I’ll go down later.” Kagome nodded. It made no difference to her, so she grabbed her bag and headed toward the river.

When she reached the river, she became grateful that Inuyasha hadn’t accompanied her. She’d had to skip her usual bathing the previous day because of the rain, so she was eager for a quick dip in the water. She would’ve loved to be in a bathhouse, but the river would get the job done just fine as well.

Once she’d bathed and washed her body, she dipped her hair into the water and scrubbed at her scalp. She planned on using her usual hair oil once she’d combed her hair, so it didn’t take her long to finish bathing.

After cleaning her teeth and dressing in fresh clothing, she made her way back to Inuyasha.

“I’m back,” she announced. Inuyasha nodded from where he was still seated in front of the fire.

Kagome sat down in her previous spot before pulling her comb and hair oil out of her bag.

She began running the comb through her locks, wincing when she would hit a knot. When that was done, she gathered her hair to the side and began to apply her hair oil.

As she spread it throughout her hair, she glanced up to see Inuyasha watching her.

“What?” she asked as she went about her task.

Inuyasha looked away. “Nothing.” Kagome frowned.

_He sure is awkward._

She finished up quickly, running the comb through her hair a final time to spread the oil throughout all of the locks. She wiped her hands on the grass around her and wiped the comb with the hem of her dress before putting it back in her bag.

Once she was done, she felt much fresher and cleaner. She didn’t miss Inuyasha’s occasional glances.

“I’ve never watched a woman apply hair oil,” Inuyasha admitted.

Kagome smiled. “Well, now you’ve seen it. Was it everything you’d dreamed it would be?”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, but Kagome didn’t miss his amused smirk.

Later on, when Kagome lay down and got settled to go to sleep, she rolled over to face Inuyasha.

He was sitting up, arms folded across his chest, as he surveyed the forest around him.

“Are you gonna sleep?” Kagome asked.

Inuyasha shook his head. “Probably not.Youkai don’t need much sleep. I might head down to the river now. ”

“Oh,” Kagome replied. “Well...wake me up when you’re ready to go tomorrow. It doesn’t matter how early it is.”

“Will you be alright here sleeping by yourself?” Inuyasha asked. 

Kagome nodded and smiled. “You’d be surprised at how capable I am of taking care of myself.”

Inuyasha hummed and stood up. “Alright. See you in the morning then.”

Kagome settled herself under her blanket.

“Good night,” she said. She caught a glimpse of what looked like a small sense of confliction in his eyes, but it was too quick for her to know if it was truly there.

“Good night,” Inuyasha replied as he walked away.

Kagome closed her eyes and snuggled up under her blanket. 

_I have a feeling that everything is going to change now that I’m with him._

O.o.O.o.O

After a quick rinse and teeth cleaning in the river, Inuyasha shook himself off, changed into fresh clothes, and went back to where Kagome was.

She was asleep as he’d expected, her breathing even and her face smooth in slumber.

As soon as Inuyasha sat down, he knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep that night. 

He was too distracted by Kagome.

 _What could she possibly need to do that requires us to stop so soon?_ he wondered. _I wonder what she’s hiding. She said it has to do with her ‘secret power,’ but what could it be? With that spiritual power she blasted at Kagura, maybe it’s a miko thing._

Inuyasha finally lay down on his back and looked up at the sky, watching the stars as they surrounded the moon.

He knew they had a long journey ahead, even beyond when they reached the youkai swordsmith’s cave.

He glanced at the sword on the ground next to him.

 _Maybe this youkai swordsmith can do something about Tessaiga,_ he realized. _None of the royal swordsmiths could ever figure it out. Piece of crap...I would never be able to fight with it. It’s too rusty and dull. Who knows why Father gave it to me or why he didn’t bother to explain it to me._

He looked over at the bow and arrows next to Kagome.

_If she’s a miko, she probably uses those to channel her power. A miko and a youkai teaming up...who would’ve guessed?_

A wave of guilt started gnawing at him, though. He didn’t know what Naraku wanted from her, but if she already knew Kagura as well as Inuyasha she suspected she must have from the familiarity of their interaction, Inuyasha was willing to bet Naraku wanted whatever she had really badly. Inuyasha was willing to bet that Naraku had tried to come for it way more than a few times.

Inuyasha almost wished he could tell Kagome that he was after Naraku. It might’ve been nice to have that in common with someone, to vent about what Naraku had done to his family.

After all, Naraku had completely destroyed Inuyasha’s life in many different ways.

Looking at Kagome again, he wondered if that’s what had happened to her.

 _She’s so chipper and nice. It makes me wonder if it’s even_ possible _for her to feel sadness, unless she’s just good at hiding it._

As much as he didn’t want to admit it, she intrigued him. Her nonchalant manner of trying to get to know him, the way she so unabashedly called him out on his bad moods after barely even a day of traveling together...it was mind-boggling.

 _Who is she really?_ he wondered. He turned his head to face away from her, trying to shake her out of his thoughts.

Instead, he tried to focus on his plan.

_We’ll go to Sakurajima and meet the youkai swordsmith. Hopefully he has information on Naraku...then I’ll try to be sneaky about suggesting to Kagome where we should go and lead us right to Naraku. It’ll be perfect._

He tried to not feel guilty about it. 

_After all, what’s the worst that could happen to Kagome? I use her to get Naraku to come out in an attempt to steal whatever it is from her and then I kill him. It’s a good thing for_ both _of us. Then we part ways. Simple as that. So...I need to stop feeling guilty. Even though I’m lying...and still kind of being a jerk to her...and potentially putting her in danger by leading her straight to someone who wants to steal something from her…and also omitting that the highest of youkai nobility are after me...eh, minor details._

Inuyasha shook his head. He had his resolve, and he knew there was no turning back now.

Now was the time for revenge, for vengeance. It was why he’d left the plush life he had in the castle of the Inu no Taisho ten years earlier. That kind of soft and luxurious lifestyle wasn’t for him; it never _had_ been in the first place, and after what happened with Naraku…

He was better off searching for him, trying to get the revenge that his older half-brother was so adamantly against him getting.

 _He doesn’t understand. He doesn’t_ get _it._ _What I’m trying to do is just and right. Sesshomaru is an idiot for trying to keep me in the castle and for sending his youkai underlings to try and drag me back there. I won’t let him. I’ll_ never _abandon this mission. I refuse to._

The thoughts continued to race through Inuyasha’s mind for the rest of the night until the sun began to rise.

He sat up and looked over at Kagome, seeing that she’d rolled over in the night and was now facing him.

His eyes widened as he took her in; she looked different when her face was relaxed in slumber. She looked so peaceful; he decided to give her a little extra time to sleep before he roused her to find her waterfall.

 _Seriously, why a waterfall?_ he wondered as he watched her. _What could she want with--_

He cut himself off, realizing that he was still staring at her. 

He looked away quickly, blushing despite his solitary wakefulness.

 _Get it together,_ he scolded himself. _Idiot._

Deciding to just wake her up and get going, he stood up and stretched a bit before walking over to her.

He couldn’t resist keeping his eyes on her face before he leaned down to pat her shoulder.

“Oi, wake up,” he said, keeping his voice quiet so as not to scare her. “We gotta go.”

Kagome took in a deep breath and slowly opened her eyes. When they locked on Inuyasha, she jumped.

“Calm down,” Inuyasha said as he pulled his hand away.

Kagome sat up and ran a hand through her hair. “Sorry, you startled me. Good morning.”

Inuyasha got up and walked over to the stack of wood from their fire last night. He rummaged around through his bag for a box of matches before remembering he’d run out. He hadn’t even had a single match left for the fire last night either.

He sighed and grabbed the rocks he’d used the previous night.

_I’ll have to get a new box of matches in the next town we pass. I forgot how much I hate building fires from scratch._

Once he got the flames going again, he grabbed the leftover meat he’d wrapped up the night before and got a few pieces cooking.

“So,” Kagome began, “did you sleep well?”

Inuyasha almost, _almost,_ blushed.

“I already told you last night,” he replied. “I don’t need that much sleep.”

Kagome hummed. “Alright. Well, if you get tired while we’re traveling today, we can always take a break.”

“Don’t need it,” Inuyasha said immediately. “Besides, I don’t wanna waste any time.”

Kagome frowned. “Is something wrong with your sword? You seem really...anxious to get to the swordsmith’s place.”

_I need to be more subtle…_

“Uh, yeah,” he replied. “My sword is a piece of crap.” 

_That’s actually the truth, so at least I can use that as an excuse._

“Really?” Kagome asked. “What’s wrong with it?” Inuyasha made sure the meat was cooking evenly before he grabbed his scabbard.

“It’s old and rusty,” he explained as he unsheathed the blade. “It was a gift from my father when I was younger. I don’t know why he would give it to me, though. It’s too dull to even fight with it.”

Kagome peered at the sword. “Hm...it definitely does look old. Don’t you have another weapon you can use? It doesn’t seem like that would ward any threats off.”

“I have my claws,” Inuyasha replied awkwardly, uncomfortable speaking about his youkai traits to a human. 

_She probably thinks I’m some kind of feral animal...not that I really care what she thinks, though._

“I bet that comes in handy,” Kagome chirped. “I’m glad you have at least something to defend yourself.”

Inuyasha’s eyes widened at her. Kagome paused.

“What?” she asked. “Did I say something to offend you?”

Inuyasha shook his head. “No, it’s just...it’s weird to talk about youkai stuff with a human. I know things are relatively peaceful between humans and youkai, but still…”

Kagome smiled. “I already told you I’m not the kind of person to be prejudiced like that. I don’t think respect should be based on _what_ a person is. Respect should be based on _who_ a person is.” 

Inuyasha grimaced. _For some reason, that doesn’t make me feel better._

“Alright,” he said flatly.

“Anyway,” Kagome continued, “I’ve never been friends with a youkai before. Maybe we can both learn things from each other.”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “You and I are _not_ friends.”

Kagome laughed. “You’ll come around.”

Grumbling under his breath, Inuyasha sheathed his sword and pulled the meat off the flames. He’d been so distracted by Kagome that he’d nearly burned it.

They finished up the last of the meat in silence; when they were finished, Inuyasha stomped out the fire before they set off again. 

Inuyasha tossed his hood up, making sure his hair and ears were covered as they walked. He noticed Kagome eye the motions, but he ignored her, just trying to focus on their trek.

_We’ve already wasted a night...it'll probably take us longer than the two weeks now, since apparently she wants to stop every...single...night._

About thirty minutes after they started walking, Kagome spoke.

“Um, Inuyasha?” she said. 

“What?”

“Can we still stop sometime today?”

Inuyasha groaned. _I forgot about her waterfall thing._

“Fine,” he said gruffly. 

He glanced around and took a deep sniff of their air, trying to see if he could pick up on anything nearby. He wasn’t so sure about a freaking waterfall, but he figured he would try his best.

Inuyasha picked up on a watery scent in the east, which irritated him since they were heading southwest, but he hoped it wouldn’t waste too much of their time.

“I caught the scent of one,” he announced. “It’s that way.” He switched their directions and Kagome immediately followed him, smiling brightly.

“Great!” she exclaimed. “Thanks, Inuyasha.”

There he went, almost, _almost_ blushing again. 

“Keh,” he scoffed quietly.

It took them about fifteen minutes to reach the water, and Inuyasha was grateful for the sounds of a waterfall he picked up as they got closer. It didn’t sound like a particularly large one, but he hoped it would still work for Kagome.

When they arrived, Kagome nodded. “This will be just fine.” She glanced at him. “Um, can I have some privacy? It’s a...secret thing.”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, not answering her as he walked away. He hopped up into a nearby tree, close enough that he could hear if she called for him or if she were attacked unexpectedly.

About five minutes after he’d left her alone, he felt a steady stream of spiritual power begin to flow from Kagome’s direction.

He sat straight up on the branch, flicking his ears and feeling a prickling sensation against his skin.

 _This feels weird. What is she doing? Now I_ know _it’s a miko thing. She’s got some explaining to do when she’s done with her crap…_

After about twenty minutes, the spiritual power receded completely, leaving Inuyasha on edge long after its disappearance.

Shortly afterward, he heard Kagome’s footsteps approaching, so he hopped off the branch and to the ground with his arms crossed over his chest.

Kagome smiled when she reached him. “I’m finished. Thanks for the stop.”

“Are you a miko?” Inuyasha demanded.

Kagome paused. “Why would you think that?”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “You don’t think I could feel all that power? Now _tell me._ Are you a miko?” 

_And the power from when she blasted Kagura...I know she’s a miko. It’s just a matter of getting her to admit it._

Kagome sighed. “Okay, yes. I’m a miko. I didn’t tell you because...well, I would _never_ hurt you or any other youkai unless it were a life-or-death situation.”

“Okay…” Inuyasha began. “And were you doing a miko thing at the waterfall?” 

Kagome nodded and fidgeted a bit. “Do you...do you not want to travel together anymore? I understand if you don’t.”

 _The shame on her face at admitting she’s a miko,_ Inuyasha mused, _reminds me of how I_ feel _about being a hanyo. Maybe...maybe we really are more alike than I thought._

“We can still travel together,” Inuyasha replied. “Doesn’t make a difference to me.”

Kagome nodded. “Thank you.” She suddenly laughed. “I figured you would want the excuse to leave me behind.”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “Whatever, woman. I already said I want us to travel together.”

“Oh, I see,” Kagome teased. “You’re a man of your word?”

Inuyasha grimaced and looked away from her.

 _I’m still going to use her to lure out Naraku, but I’m almost starting to feel guilty about it...she’s so..._ nice. _It’s driving me crazy._

“Let’s just get going,” Inuyasha said. “We have a lot of ground to cover.”

Kagome nodded and followed him as they set off for the swordsmith once more.

O.o.O.o.O

Like usual, Kagome was exhausted after purifying the jewel.

She’d gone too long without performing the purification ritual, so it had used _way_ more of her power than she’d anticipated.

She tried her hardest to keep it from Inuyasha, but she wasn’t used to using her powers, let alone so much at once, so it was starting to get hard to even stay upright as she and Inuyasha walked.

 _I can’t let him know that I’m this tired,_ she resolved. _He’ll complain the whole time. He’s so...unpredictable. It’s kind of annoying, but whatever. Nothing I can do about it._

And besides...she had other things to worry about.

 _It was only a matter of time before he figured out I’m a miko,_ she mused as they walked. _I was hoping it would be a lot later on when he trusted me more, but it seems like he’s dealing with it decently enough._

Kagome had so many questions about him. She felt a strange kinship with him, one she couldn’t quite understand.

When she looked into his eyes…

It felt like she was looking at herself.

_I wonder what his reaction would be if I said that. He’d probably growl at me._

Kagome almost laughed at the thought, but she felt too listless. She was miserably exhausted and they’d only been walking for a mere ten minutes. She kept at it, though, not wanting to allude to her fatigue.

She doubted he’d even notice how quiet she’d gotten. She managed to keep up with him as he walked at his usual brisk pace, but it took nearly all of the remaining energy she possessed.

Suddenly, he turned to look at her.

“What’s wrong with you?” he asked, his words harsh but his eyes more concerned than Kagome figured he realized. 

Kagome shook her head. “Nothing. I’m fine.”

Inuyasha scoffed. “Keh. You’re fine, my butt. I can tell something is off with you.” Realization seemed to dawn on him. “Oh, wait. You did a miko thing. I’ve heard that using a lot of spiritual power at once can make a miko sick. So...are you sick?”

Kagome shook her head again. “It doesn’t make us sick. It drains our energy. I’m just a little tired. I don’t use my miko powers often, so it takes more out of me than usual when I actually do use them. I’m okay, though. Don’t worry about it.”

Inuyasha narrowed his eyebrows and set a hand on her shoulder, forcing her to stop walking.

She looked at him questioningly as he took her bag before walking in front of her and kneeling down slightly.

“What are you doing?” Kagome asked. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and motioned to his back.

“Just get on,” he grumbled. “We can’t very well get to where we’re going if you’re about to pass out the whole time we’re walking there.”

Kagome’s eyes widened.

_He’s being...considerate of me?_

“Are you sure?” she asked. Inuyasha huffed and settled her bag on the opposite arm of his own bag.

“Just get on, woman.”

Kagome felt herself blush a bit as she set her hands on his shoulders to get a grip on him.

He hooked his arms under her thighs, making sure she was comfortable against his back before he started moving forward again.

Kagome felt herself growing drowsier at the steady pace of Inuyasha’s footsteps. Her eyes started to drift closed as she lay her head against him. 

His hair tickled her face; it smelled fresh and woodsy, like pine trees mixed with wind and sunshine. 

“Thanks, Inuyasha,” she said softly with a yawn.

If he replied, she didn’t hear it. She was already lulled to sleep. 

To be continued...


	3. Young Folks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to chapter 3! This chapter is named after the song "Young Folks" by Peter Bjorn and John, so I recommend looking up the lyrics before reading :)
> 
> Also, fun history fact for you. It was very uncommon to eat meat in Japan up until the Meiji Era. It was banned because it was seen as unclean and unholy for people to eat. 
> 
> Finally, this chapter would probably still be sitting unfinished if it weren't for the idea by lostinfantasyworlds! You're so wonderful, Taryn! <3

**Chapter 3: Young Folks**

Kagome slept on Inuyasha’s back the entire day.

She didn’t stir during usual mealtimes, and once it turned dark and she was still completely unconscious against him, Inuyasha started to grow concerned.

With Kagome asleep, there had been no stops throughout the day. They’d made good progress, but he wasn't thinking about that at the moment. He was thinking about the slumbering woman on his back.

He dropped his bag to the ground and gently slid Kagome around his body so he could hold her steady in his arms, making it easier for him to carefully lay her down on the ground.

He moved her bag for her to use as a makeshift pillow before he got her stretched out.

Kagome was still sleeping soundly.

Inuyasha bit his lip, wondering if he should wake her up.

_ She hasn’t eaten at all today...I should probably wake her up. If anything, she can just go back to sleep afterward. It’s night time anyway. _

Just like he had that morning, Inuyasha gently patted Kagome’s shoulder.

“Kagome?” he said. “Wake up.”

Kagome stirred only slightly, taking a long moment to finally open her eyes and wake up.

She looked up at Inuyasha, then the darkened sky, then the forest floor around her.

“What happened?” she asked lethargically. “Where are we?”

“Relax, woman,” Inuyasha replied. “You fell asleep after you did your...whatever miko thing this morning.”   


Kagome stretched her arms and ran her hands through her hair, smoothing it down.

“Did you carry me all day?” she asked incredulously.

Inuyasha shrugged. “Yeah.”   


Kagome blushed. “Thank you. I’m sorry you had to do that, though. That was probably annoying.”

“No big deal,” Inuyasha replied, brushing off her apology and gratitude. “It was easier to travel farther without you asking to stop.” He paused. “You’re probably hungry, though. I’ll go catch us something to eat.”   


Kagome shook her head. “No, let me. I need to stretch my legs. Besides, you caught dinner last night. It’s only fair that I do it tonight.”

Inuyasha frowned. “How do you expect to hunt for anything?”   


“Bow and arrow,” Kagome replied as she carefully stood up. “I’m a master archer. Give me ten minutes.” With that, she grabbed her weapon and set off into the forest. Inuyasha gaped at her as she walked away.

True to her word, Kagome returned about ten minutes later with two rabbits slung over her shoulder.

“Dinner,” she announced as she sat back down. While she was gone, Inuyasha had gotten the fire started.

He raised an eyebrow when she pulled a knife out of her bag and began preparing the meat.

She caught him watching her.

“What?” she asked. Inuyasha shook his head.

“Nothing,” he replied. “Just...you seem to know what you’re doing.”   


Kagome hummed. “I almost always catch my own food unless I’m in the mood for bread or something. I don’t normally eat meat because the preparations are gross and old habits die hard, but it’s not that big of a deal.” She smiled. “And you strike me as a meat kind of a man.”

After she lay the rabbit meat over the flames and rinsed the blood off with some water, she leaned back on her hands. “It’s the least I can do after you carried me all day.”   


Inuyasha shrugged awkwardly. 

“So we’re one day closer to the swordsmith,” Kagome commented as she went about her task. “Are you excited?”

“Keh,” Inuyasha replied.    


“Have you ever been to a swordsmith before?” Kagome asked.

The hanyo hesitated. “Kinda. Sorta.”   


Kagome laughed. “What does that mean?”

_ We had special swordsmiths back in the castle...but how do I avoid telling her that I might kinda sorta be a youkai nobleman? _

“I used to live in a place with swordsmiths nearby,” he settled on saying. He rolled his eyes. “My father made a huge show of giving the sword to me. It was a shock when I unsheathed it to see...a piece of crap. He never explained why he gave it to me. Even the swordsmiths could never figure out why it’s like that.”   


“Oh,” Kagome replied. “So it’s more of an heirloom than a weapon?”   


Inuyasha paused. “Huh. I guess so. I wish it were a weapon, though. That would make things easier.”

“Things as in traveling so often?” Kagome asked. 

_ She asks the worst questions,  _ Inuyasha realized.  _ Just curious enough to make me almost say more than I should… _

“Yeah,” he replied curtly, hoping she’d drop any other questions.

“What about you?” he asked, changing the subject. “And your bow.”   


“What about it?” Kagome replied.   


“I don’t know...is there anything special about it?”

“Oh! Yes, actually.” She smiled. “It’s been passed down through my family for generations. It’s very old, but we’ve been able to maintain it. I started learning to control my miko powers when I was five. That’s when I was given the bow by my mother.” Inuyasha noticed a subtle shift in her mood when she mentioned her mother, and he wondered what could have happened to her.

“So your mother is a miko, too?” he asked. Kagome nodded.

“She was,” she replied. “She died several years ago, along with my dad and younger brother.”

_ I wonder if Naraku killed them... _

“I’m sorry,” Inuyasha said sincerely. “That must have been hard.”   


Kagome half-shrugged. “I’ve adjusted. I’ve been on my own ever since.”

Inuyasha hesitated.

“My parents died, too,” he admitted. “So...I understand.”   


Kagome looked at him, locking gazes with him. He felt a sense of understanding pass between them.

_ Maybe we’re more alike than I thought we were. _

“It’s hard for awhile,” Kagome said. “But then it’s better.”

Inuyasha nodded. “Yeah. I agree.”   


They fell into a silence as Kagome pulled the meat off the fire. It had finished cooking while they talked, so she handed him a few pieces while she took some for herself.

They ate quietly, only talking enough for Inuyasha to thank her and mention it was cooked well.

“Do you want to keep moving?” Kagome asked when they finished eating. “I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep anymore after being passed out all day.”   


Inuyasha was a little surprised at the offer, but he was eager to reach the swordsmith, so he agreed.

“I wish we had a light, though,” Kagome commented as she started to put out the fire. “It’s so dark.”

With his youkai eyesight, Inuyasha could see just fine in the dark, but he knew it was vastly different for humans.

“I can mostly see in the dark,” he replied. “So just...stay close to me, I guess.”   


Kagome nodded and got up, grabbing her bag and slinging it over her shoulder.

It seemed like it took her a moment to find Inuyasha with the fire now put out and the moonlight being covered by the treetops.

“Here,” Inuyasha offered, walking over to her. “Hold onto my arm or something.” Kagome nodded and reached out to gently grip his sleeve.

It was light and she wasn’t really touching him, but he could still feel the warmth of her fingers through the fabric of his shirt, and with her so close, he caught the overwhelming scent of chocolate and cherries as they began to walk.

He’d been able to scent it when he carried her, but now she was close to his side rather than behind him on his back, so the aroma was stronger now and more pronounced.

Inuyasha once again wondered if she carried chocolate with her...it was such a unique scent.

“This might sound weird,” he began awkwardly, “but...do you have chocolate in your bag?”

Kagome shook her head. “No. Why?”

Inuyasha blushed, grateful it was dark enough to hide it. “Something around you always smells like chocolate. It’s weird.”

Kagome laughed. “Oh, it’s my hair oil. It’s cacao.”

_ Makes sense. It was prominent last night after she bathed. _

Inuyasha nodded curtly. “Yeah. That’s it.”

She tugged on his sleeve as they walked. “Does it bother you? I know chocolate is bad for dogs and everything.”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “I'm not a  _ dog. _ I'm an inu-youkai. I couldn't care less about what you smell like.” Kagome laughed again. 

“Okay then. Let me know if you change your mind. I can always switch what kind I use.” They fell back into silence as they continued walking.

Inuyasha figured the cherry scent was just what her body produced naturally, but the chocolate...it really was nice, and he didn't mind it. He was never a fan of the camellia hair oils or heavy perfumes that women tended to wear. 

Kagome’s scent was subtle, but strong enough to appreciate. It was nice. 

He mentally scolded himself. 

_ Stop thinking good things about her. That's the  _ last _ thing I should be doing. _

He frowned.  _ I just want to get this over with. _

“So how often do you stop in towns?” Kagome asked. 

Inuyasha paused.  _ When I need a new lead on Naraku… _

He shrugged. “If it rains sometimes.”

_ That’s a good cover, I guess. It just rained when I was in the town so maybe she’ll believe it. _

“Really?” Kagome asked. “I love sleeping outside when it’s raining. I just find a tree with thick branches and huddle up under it. The rain just smells so good. If  there’s lightning, then I’ll find a place to stay. But if you prefer an inn every time it rains, we can always stop at one.”   


“Nah,” Inuyasha replied. “I don’t care. Besides, I don’t smell any traces of rain so we should be fine for awhile.”   


“That’s handy,” Kagome commented. “Being able to sniff out the weather like that.”   


Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “Don’t say ‘sniff out.’ I’m not a dog.”

Kagome laughed. “Sorry, poor wording. I didn’t mean to offend you about that again. But still. It’s a nice... _ skill.  _ Is that better?”   


Inuyasha grunted. “I guess. Anyway, I hope you don’t expect us to stop somewhere anytime soon.”

Kagome shook her head. “I stocked up on supplies in the last town, so I’m good for a while.”

“Great,” he replied.  _ That’s a relief. Anyway...I’m almost out of money so we wouldn’t be able to stop at an inn anyway. I’ll need to make some before we do anything like that. _

Speaking of money…

“How do you make money?” Inuyasha asked, not caring about rudeness. “If you’re on the run all the time, how do you have money to buy supplies and stuff?”

“I make things and sell them,” she replied. “I can make herbal medicines and teas from stuff I find in forests. Other stuff, too, but mostly that.”   


“Wow,” Inuyasha replied, a bit impressed. “How do you know to do that?”

“Miko are usually skilled in healing practices,” she explained. “What about you? How do you make money? Since we’re being so forward at this point.”

Inuyasha scoffed. “None of your business.”   


_ There’s no way I’m gonna tell her what I do. She’d think I’m an idiot. _

“So you get to ask me,” Kagome began, “but I don’t get to ask you?”

“Yep,” Inuyasha replied. Kagome rolled her eyes.

“Alright, then,” she conceded. “You sure are private. I’ve wound up telling you some stuff I hadn’t planned to, but I guess you’re not at that point.”   


“Nope,” Inuyasha said curtly.   


Kagome hummed. “I see.”

“What, does that annoy you or something?”   


Kagome shook her head. “No. I just hope that one day you’ll trust me, especially since we’re spending literally  _ all _ of our time together now.”

Inuyasha glanced at her, the waves of her hair illuminated in the moonlight much like they were the night before.

“I’ll tell you...stuff you  _ need _ to know,” he finally said. “When it comes up. Fair?”   


Kagome nodded. “That sounds like a great compromise. And how about this? Every time you tell me something about yourself, I’ll tell you something about myself. Then it’ll be even.”

Inuyasha nodded, figuring that was fair enough.

_ That would mean telling her about my human night when it comes up, I guess,  _ Inuyasha thought unhappily.  _ Unless I hop up in a tree before it gets dark on that night. She’s so shrewd, though. She’d definitely pick up on it if something were different. Plus, knowing how full of surprises she seems to be, odds are she can climb trees like a pro. What a pain. That’s one of the last things I want her to know about me. _

He tried to relax about it. He’d just had a human night several days earlier, so he wouldn’t have to worry about it for a while, long after they’d reached the swordsmith’s cave and hopefully gotten a lead on Naraku.

They traveled late into the night until Inuyasha figured they should stop. If they traveled all night, Kagome would no doubt just want to sleep the next day.

“Let’s stop for the rest of the night,” Inuyasha said. “You’re gonna be exhausted again tomorrow if we’re up all night.” 

Kagome nodded. “Okay.”

Inuyasha didn’t bother with a fire. It had been a bit chilly the night before, but they were quickly approaching springtime, so the threat of a chill wasn’t as likely. Kagome had a blanket anyway, so he wasn’t too worried.

Kagome was asleep almost as soon as she laid down. Inuyasha watched her for a moment as she slept soundly. 

_ It’s been a long time since I’ve traveled with a human,  _ he mused.  _ It’s almost reminding me of my own humanity, which is...weird.  _

Even he was starting to feel a little drowsy, so he settled himself against the trunk of the closest tree. Tilting his head back, he closed his eyes and allowed himself to doze a bit.

When he woke up a few hours later, he wasn’t surprised to see that Kagome was still asleep. He stretched and stood up, intending to go find some berries or something for them to eat before setting off again.

When he returned, the sun had breached the horizon, so he walked over to wake up Kagome.

“Kagome, wake up,” he said, gently nudging her with his foot. Kagome stirred a bit before opening her eyes and sitting up.

“Morning,” she greeted with a yawn. “Did you actually get any sleep last night?”

“A bit. Get up now, okay? Let’s get a move on.”   


Kagome nodded and stretched her arms over her head, noticing the berries Inuyasha had gathered.

“Oh, I could’ve done that,” she said. “You should have woken me up sooner.”   


Inuyasha shrugged. “It’s fine. Wasn’t hard.”

“Are you ready to keep moving?” Kagome asked. Inuyasha nodded.

They set off shortly afterward, and Inuyasha immediately began to wonder if he’d ever catch Kagome in a bad mood.

She was so... _ peppy. _ He’d never met anyone who smiled so much.

Well, aside from his mother, maybe. 

The closed off demeanor he’d initially seen from Kagome had started to fade. Not to the point of her spilling all of her secrets, but she seemed...softer. Kinder. 

He wondered what it was like to be able to feel that way.

“So, Inuyasha,” Kagome began. “Since you can’t use your sword right now, would you like for me to help you learn to use a bow?”

Inuyasha shook his head. “My claws would get in the way.”   


Kagome nodded. “Oh, I didn’t think about that. Well, we could still try someday if you wanted to. It might be fun.”   


Inuyasha nearly rolled his eyes.  _ I don’t have time for  _ fun. _ She’s so...I don’t even have the words to describe her. _

And he couldn’t tell if that was a good thing or a bad one.

For the next week, they traveled relatively peacefully. Kagome still tried to get him to open up a bit more, but he refused to.

She was nice, though, and he would sometimes find himself wanting to open up to her, but...he didn’t.

He had a goal, and that goal didn’t include being friends with her.

On the eighth day of their two week journey, Kagome offered to catch lunch.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” she said as she walked off into the forest.

Inuyasha got to work on starting a fire, once again cursing himself for not having bought another box of matches in the last town. He picked up some rocks, grumbling as he went about making the fire.

His ears twitched when he picked up the sound of footsteps.

He stood up, realizing that there were definitely more than one.

_ Who’s out there? It smells like a group of humans. _

His eyes widened. 

_ Kagome! _

He surged forward, following her scent.

“Get away from me!”

His eyes widened when he caught sight of her…

Nocking an arrow on her bow…

And shooting it…

At a man?

A group of five men, no doubt thieves, were surrounding her, and Kagome was warding them off. She’d already shot two of them, one man in the arm with an arrow and another in the leg in an obvious attempt to protect herself but not kill any of them.

“Kagome!” Inuyasha called. “You walk away for  _ five _ minutes and this happens?”

Kagome glared at him. “You could stand to offer a little help!”

“What do you mean a little help?” one of the thieves teased from his perch on his horse. “We just want to have some fun with the lady.”   


“You want me to shoot you like I did your buddies?” Kagome shot back. “I won’t kill you, but you might wish I did!”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and jumped up to punch the nearest thief in the face. It stunned him enough to make him wobble and fall off his horse, which subsequently ran off into the forest.

Assuming a fighting pose again, Inuyasha saw Kagome drawing an arrow, aiming at the thief in front of her.

She let the arrow fly, hitting him in the arm and causing him to yelp in pain and fall off his horse.

But Kagome didn’t notice the one behind her.

Inuyasha’s eyes widened.

“Move!” he shouted as he ran toward her. 

He shoved her harshly, knocking her to the ground and taking the stab of the thief’s sword that had been intended for Kagome.

He grunted as the knife hit him square in the chest, barely missing his heart.

_ If I weren’t half-youkai, that might have killed me. _

“Big mistake,” he growled, punching the guy and knocking him out.

Wincing as he clutched his injury, he looked at Kagome to see her still seated on the ground.

He could smell tears.

“You alright?” he asked, concerned with her crying. “Are you hurt?” 

“Are you gonna die?” Kagome asked. “He...he stabbed you in the chest!”

_ Is that why she’s crying? _

Inuyasha scoffed and yanked the knife out of his chest before tossing it to the ground.. “Keh. I ain’t so easy to kill. Let’s get out of here. Can you stand?”

He walked over to her, reaching out his hand to help her up.   


He noticed a rather nasty scratch on her face, and a twinge of guilt ran through him.

_ I might have pushed her too hard by mistake,  _ he realized as he helped right her on her feet.  _ The scratch looks pretty painful. That must be why she’s crying. Once we get back to our stuff, I’ll take a look at it. _

Inuyasha sent another murderous glare toward the pained group of thieves before he and Kagome set off toward their camp again.

Once they made it, Inuyasha winced as he sat down, needing a moment for his healing abilities to kick in.

It was a silent five minutes as he closed his eyes and took deep breaths. He could feel himself healing, but it was still a fairly deep stab. 

“You okay?” he asked, opening his eyes and finally looking up at Kagome.

There was still a scent of tears, but he didn’t see any fall from Kagome’s eyes.

“Kagome, are you okay?” he repeated. “Did you hit your head?” Kagome shook her head, staying silent before she stood up.

“Let me look at your injury,” she requested. “I’ll clean it and we can wrap it up. I have some stuff in my bag.”   


“Don’t need it,” Inuyasha replied. “It’s already healing.”   


Kagome glared at him. “Don’t be an idiot. You just got  _ stabbed! _ I don’t even know how you’re still…” 

Inuyasha paused, realizing she was this unsettled because...of him? Because he was hurt?   


Softening a bit, Inuyasha pulled the collar of his shirt down enough to show her the wound, which was already starting to close as he’d expected.

Kagome gaped at his chest. When her eyes stayed glued to him, Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably.

“Keh,” he scoffed. “What are you starin’ for?”

“This would fall in the category of something I  _ need _ to know about you,” Kagome scolded. “I thought you were gonna die just now!”   


Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “You think something like that could kill me?”   


“Well, yeah!” Kagome replied. “How was I supposed to know getting  _ stabbed _ in the  _ chest _ wouldn’t do any real damage? You scared the life out of me. Jerk.”

Inuyasha’s eyes widened. “Well, you should’ve been scared! That thief was coming right at you!”   


“That’s not what I was scared of,” Kagome shot back. “Well, okay, yes. I was a little scared of that. But I was mostly scared of you dying.”

He was taken aback by Kagome’s words.

_ She was...more scared of me dying than getting harmed by thieves? And I think she was crying for me...no one has ever done that, except for my mother...it’s been so long since someone has cared enough to feel worried about me. I forgot how nice that can feel. _

“Does your cheek hurt?” Inuyasha asked, trying to calm his voice. Kagome reached up and rubbed both of her cheeks, wincing when she touched the left one.

“Ouch,” she grumbled. “I didn’t even realize I’d scratched it.”

Inuyasha gently pushed her backward into a sitting position from where she was kneeling in front of him. He stood up, ignoring her annoyed squeak, and grabbed her bag.

“Get your medicine stuff,” he said, handing her the bag. Kagome frowned at him and dug around in her bag, pulling out something that smelled like a medicinal treatment.

Inuyasha grabbed his water carrier and splashed some on his hands, trying to clean them as best as possible given their current conditions.

Once Kagome had opened the small container, Inuyasha took it from her, giving her a firm look when she tried to argue.

He felt more than a little guilty for scaring her so much, and he’d been the one to push her in the first place, so...it was the least he could do.

“What are you doing?” Kagome asked, her voice quiet.

“I’m treating your wound, stupid,” Inuyasha chided. “What do you think I’m doing?”   


Kagome’s eyes widened. “I can do that. You don’t have to.”   


“Keh,” he scoffed lightly. “It’s not like you can see your face to apply it. Now let me work, woman.”

Being mindful of his claws, he dipped his finger in the medicine and began applying it to her cheek.

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome had been through a range of emotions in the last ten minutes.

She’d nearly been harmed by thieves, she’d watched Inuyasha get stabbed in the chest when he came to help her, she thought he was going to die, and she’d learned that apparently he could heal himself from an injury almost immediately.

It was...a lot.

But what surprised her the most was how  _ gentle _ he was being with her.

He was close to her, close enough that she could pick up the scent she remembered from him carrying her on his back.

Fresh and woodsy, like a forest...it was nice.

His eyes were narrowed in concentration as he applied the salve to her cheek.

Kagome’s heart flipped a little.

Not a lot, but enough that she noticed it.

_ How long has it been since someone has taken care of me?  _ she wondered as Inuyasha continued treating her wound.  _ I can’t even remember the last time. _

Having Inuyasha this close was comforting. It was soothing. She felt...calm.

Safe. Protected. Content.

When he sat back to examine his work, he seemed pleased with it. He nodded and wiped his finger off on his pants, getting the small bit of leftover residue off.

“You alright?” he asked. “Does it hurt or anything?”   


Kagome shook her head. “No. I’m okay.”

Inuyasha nodded. “Good.” He rolled his eyes. “I leave you alone for five minutes and look at what happened.”   


Kagome frowned. “I can handle myself...usually. You caught me on a bad day.” She smiled. “But thank you for saving me. I appreciate it.”

She saw a faint pink tint in Inuyasha’s cheek.

“Keh,” he scoffed. “It’s not like it was hard. I don’t kill humans, but it’s not difficult to injure them. We should probably get moving now, though. Those guys will probably be pretty annoyed when they wake up.”   


Kagome tried to calm herself and focus her thoughts on...something other than what she’d previously been thinking.

As she stood up and set off with Inuyasha, she couldn’t help but smile to herself.

_ I’ve been alone for so long; I forgot how nice it is to be with someone. I wonder if he feels the same. _

They walked long into the day, trying to put as much distance as possible between them and where they left the group of thieves.

When they finally stopped later that night, Inuyasha went to catch something for dinner.

After he’d caught a deer, prepared it, and had it cooking over the fire Kagome built, they settled into silence.

Kagome felt Inuyasha’s eyes on her. Looking up, she found he was watching her.

“What?” she asked.   


Inuyasha glanced away. “So...you were crying earlier.”

Kagome laughed. “Well, yeah. You scared the wits out of me.”   


“But  _ why _ were you crying?” Inuyasha pressed seriously. 

Kagome’s laughter faded at the tone in Inuyasha’s voice. It was full of surprise, and maybe a little confusion.

It made Kagome wonder when the last time someone cared about  _ him _ had been.

“I already told you I thought you were going to die,” Kagome replied honestly. “That was scary.”   


“And...you cried about that?” he asked. Kagome shrugged.

“I mean...yeah,” she replied. Inuyasha shook his head.

“But why?” he pressed. “No one...no one has cried for me in a long time.” 

Kagome smiled. “Because, Inuyasha, you’re my friend. I might not be your friend yet, but you’re mine. Okay?”   


Inuyasha’s eyes widened as their gazes locked. He finally nodded, accepting her answer as his gaze drifted to the fire.

The meat had finished cooking, so he handed a few pieces to Kagome before they began eating.

Kagome snuck a peek at him over the fire and noticed a thoughtful expression on his face.

She wondered what was going through his mind as he ate his meat in silence, his eyes never leaving the flames.

Kagome looked away, focusing on her own food.

When they finished eating, Kagome grabbed her bag.

“Is there a river nearby?” she asked. She’d had to skip her usual nightly routine the night before, so she was really hoping to take some time to freshen up.

Inuyasha nodded off to the side. “Yeah, that way,” he replied. “Will you...be okay to go alone?”   


Kagome smiled. “I’ll be fine. I’ll take my bow. Be right back.”

Inuyasha looked at her a moment more before finally nodding.

“Okay. Be careful.”

“I will,” Kagome replied as she walked off in the direction of the river.

_ This has been...an interesting day. _

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha didn’t know what to think.

Kagome had shed tears for him, had worried about him, and now apparently considered him a friend.

_ I haven’t had a friend since Miroku, so I’m a little out of my element here. _

But having someone care about him like Kagome obviously did...it was nice.

And being near her when he was applying the medicine, being surrounded by her chocolate-cherry scent…

That was even better.

He stayed lost in thought until Kagome returned from the river. When she was finished, he went down to the river to do his own nightly routine.

By the time he returned, Kagome was already under her blanket, but he could tell she wasn’t asleep yet.

“One day closer,” she said when Inuyasha sat down on the other side of the fire, repeating her words from the previous night. “Are you excited yet?”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “You ask the weirdest questions.” Then he realized something.

“Oh,” he began, “so you have to tell me something about yourself now.”   


Kagome frowned. “What are you talking about?”   


“You said when I tell you something about  _ myself, _ you would tell me something about  _ yourself.  _ So pay up.”   


Kagome laughed. “You didn’t even tell me about your healing stuff. I had to find out on my own.”   


“Are you trying to back out of our agreement?”   


Kagome laughed again. “No. Let me think of something I can tell you…” She paused to think for a moment. 

Inuyasha perked up. “You could tell me what that power thing is.”   


Kagome rolled her eyes. “Don’t push it.”   


“Fine,” Inuyasha conceded. “But it can’t be anything stupid like when you said ‘green is my favorite color,’ blah, blah, blah…”

Kagome smiled. “Aw, you remembered that green is my favorite color.”   


Inuyasha nearly choked. “Shut up, woman. Don’t get all excited over something dumb like that.” Kagome laughed. “Alright, let’s see…oh, I know. The bow is  my weapon of choice, but I’m also skilled with a sword and a few other different fighting techniques.”   


Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. “Really?” Kagome nodded.   


“Yep,” she replied. “My mother taught me how to wield my spiritual power, and my father taught me how to fight.”   


“Huh,” Inuyasha replied. “That’ll do.”   


“I’m glad you approve,” Kagome teased.

“Keh. How’s your cheek? Is it hurting at all?”   


Kagome shook her head. “Nope. The medicine has a numbing effect. Thanks for, um, applying it for me earlier.”

Inuyasha blushed. “Whatever. Now go to sleep.”   


Kagome smiled. “Good night.”   


“Good night.”

Despite his pleasant surprise at Kagome’s kindness and her candor, as well as the relatively peaceful evening they’d had, something was nagging at Inuyasha.

Guilt.

He tried to tamper it down, knowing that he had good reasons for hiding so much of the truth from her.

But that nagging feeling didn’t go away.

He didn’t sleep that night.

To be continued...


	4. Miracle (In Your Eyes)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I realized that I never explained what they wear in this story. Duh, Jane, come on.
> 
> During the Meiji era, western clothing was introduced to Japan, but women who were not of nobility mostly wore yukata outfits, so that's what Kagome wears, just simple yukata.
> 
> Inuyasha, however, wears just simple pants and a simple shirt due to the western influence and also the robe of the fire rat will play a special role later on in the story hehe.
> 
> Also, this song is titled after the song "Miracle" by Paramore!
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or its characters.

**Chapter 4: Miracle (Use Your Eyes)**

During the last few days of their journey, Inuyasha was starting to get antsy. 

He could tell Kagome noticed; she didn’t try to engage him in conversation like she normally would. It was quiet between them, and Inuyasha was grateful for the silence.

If the swordsmith didn’t have any information about Naraku, Inuyasha wasn’t sure what he would do next.

_ This is the only thing even remotely close to a lead I’ve had in a really long time,  _ he grumbled silently.  _ I need to stay with Kagome to lure Naraku out, but I need to figure out where he might be first.  _

He growled.  _ It’s going to be impossible to try and find other leads on Naraku with her around. If this swordsmith doesn’t have any information, I’ll just leave her. It’s pointless traveling with her if I can’t make any progress. I’ve already wasted fifteen years. I don't want to waste anymore time. _

“Um, are you okay?” Kagome asked. Inuyasha shook himself from his thoughts.

“I’m fine,” he replied gruffly. He felt Kagome’s eyes on him. 

“You sure?” she asked. “You were...growling a bit.”

He scoffed. “Keh. You’re hearing things.”

Kagome frowned, but she didn’t press him further.

As they walked, Inuyasha tried to turn his brain off and just focus on getting to the island. It worked for the most part, and he eventually started to feel a bit calmer.

But then they reached the coast.

Inuyasha cursed. 

_ I didn’t think about how we would get to the island. I’m so stupid. _

“Um,” Kagome began, “how--”   


“I don’t know,” Inuyasha interrupted gruffly. “Do you think I’d be standing here doing nothing if I--”

He noticed the wide-eyed expression on Kagome’s face at his outburst. 

“I’m sorry,” Inuyasha said immediately. “I didn’t...I wasn’t trying to…”

“It’s okay,” Kagome replied. “We just need to find a way to get across the water.” She looked out at the island that was clearly visible.

“Why don’t we just swim?” she suggested. “We can hide our stuff here so it doesn’t get wet and get it when we swim back.”

Inuyasha scowled. That was the  _ last _ thing he wanted to do.

Besides…

“Can you even swim that long?” he asked. “It’s two miles.”   


Kagome shrugged. “I can try. We could always just float for a bit if one of us gets tired.”   


_ Right, because that sounds better. _

Inuyasha huffed. “Fine.” There was no other option, so they might as well get a move on.

He and Kagome found a spot to stash their belongings. Kagome also kicked off her shoes and cloak, making sure everything was hidden.

Inuyasha was hesitant to leave his cloak behind, but he figured he would be able to lie low on the island until they found the youkai swordsmith. He wouldn’t have to worry about hiding once he found him.

The only thing he really had to worry about was Kagome overhearing his true intentions.

_ Wait...this is the perfect excuse. _

“I don’t want you to slow me down,” Inuyasha said suddenly, making Kagome pause where she was hiding her things.

“Excuse you?” she asked. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

“You should just wait here for me,” Inuyasha insisted. “Then you don’t have to swim all the way there and all the back. Anyway, it’s a youkai thing. You’d just be bored.”

“Hey!” Kagome protested. “I wouldn’t get  _ bored _ by youkai.” She paused. “But...it’s your sword, and if you want privacy while getting it looked at, then I’ll wait here.”   


Inuyasha’s eyes widened. “Um, thanks.”

“I’ll watch our stuff while you’re gone,” she said. Inuyasha nodded.

“Thanks,” he repeated lamely. “See you in a while.”

He dove into the water, trying to ignore the chilly temperature.

He swam the two miles rather easily and made it to the shoreline of the island without incident.

Once he’d gotten out of the water and shaken off, he took a quick sniff of the air. When he caught the scent of something other than the volcano, he headed towards it.

He came upon a small cave that looked more like a skeleton head than an actual cave.

He frowned and called into the entrance.

“Hello?”

“Who’s there?”

Inuyasha jumped at the sudden loud voice.

“My name is...Yosuke,” he lied. He adjusted the hood over his head, hoping to remain inconspicuous.

“Ah. Come in.”

Inuyasha braced himself and entered the cave.

He saw the fire first and then an old man with his hair in a bun and a rather singed beard.

And huge eyes.  _ Creepy,  _ huge eyes.

“Uh, hello,” Inuyasha greeted with an incline of his head. “Are you the youkai swordsmith?”   


“I am,” he replied. “My name is Totosai. And yours is...Yosuke?”   


Inuyasha nodded. “Yes.” Totosai hummed.

“I see...are you quite sure about that?”

Inuyasha frowned. “I...I think I would know my own name, old man.”   


Before Totosai could reply, Inuyasha felt a pinch on his nose.

He slapped the skin, hearing a weak cry of pain before something floated down onto his palm.

A small bug was staring back up at him with wide eyes.

“Lord Inuyasha!” he exclaimed. “I’m so glad you made it!”

“Myoga?” Inuyasha asked incredulously. “What are you doing here?”

He felt panic start to set in. 

Myoga was a loyal vassal of the Inu no Taisho, so there was no doubt he would try to turn him in to Sesshomaru…

“I’ve been wondering when you would arrive,” Myoga continued. “It’s taken you quite a bit longer than I’d expected.”

Inuyasha frowned. “How did you even know I was coming?”

Myoga laughed. “Oh, right.”  He hopped off of Inuyasha’s shoulder and transformed with a cloud of smoke.

When the smoke dissipated, Inuyasha was face-to-face with the fruit vendor who had originally told him where to find Totosai.

“That was  _ you?” _ Inuyasha asked. “What the hell, Myoga? Why wouldn’t you have turned me in to Sessomaru?”

Myoga transformed back into a flea and hopped into Inuyasha’s palm again.

“I disagree with Lord Sesshomaru,” he admitted. “I want revenge for Lord Toga and Lady Izayoi’s deaths. Killing Naraku is the way to do that, so I sent you this way for that reason.”   


Inuyasha’s eyes widened. “Really? Does Sesshomaru know you’re here?”   


“Of course not,” Myoga replied. “I told him I needed to visit a sick relative.”   


Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. “Do you even  _ have _ any relatives?”   


Myoga grinned. “No, but I did what I needed to do.”

“Alright,” Totosai cut in. “Now that we all know each other, let me take a look at Tessaiga.”

Inuyasha frowned. “How do you know my sword’s name?”   


Totosai stood up. “I made it, of course. Your father had me make your sword as well as your brother’s.” Inuyasha’s eyes widened.

“Really?” he asked as he drew his sword. “You couldn’t have made something a little more, I don’t know,  _ usable?”  _

Totosai ignored him and walked over to inspect the blade.

“How many times has it transformed?” the old swordsmith asked.

Inuyasha paused. “What do you mean ‘transformed?’ It’s never done anything like that.”

Totosai hummed. “I see. Well, I guess you’re useless then.”

Inuyasha growled. “Hey now, old man. I’m  _ not _ useless.”

“You can’t even get the sword to transform!” Totosai argued. 

“What do you  _ mean?” _ Inuyasha repeated.

Totosai sighed. “The Tessaiga is more than just a rusty katana. It’s an extension of yourself and of your soul. If you can’t master it and tap into its true power, you are hopeless.”

Inuyasha was quiet for a moment.  _ Transform? I don’t even know how I would do that... _

“Care to elaborate?” he asked. “You can’t just say something that cryptic and not explain.”

“Nope,” Totosai replied. “It’s up to you, boy.”   


Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Anyway, Myoga said you might have information on where Naraku is. Is that true or was it just a ploy to get me here for  whatever reason?”

Totosai frowned at Myoga. “Is that what you told him?”

Myoga smiled sheepishly. “Perhaps.” He looked at Inuyasha. “But I’d been looking for you for so long when I found you in the town. Hiding my identity...I couldn’t risk you thinking I’d turn you in and I needed to get you here to see Totosai so you can learn more about the sword. You need to master the Tessaiga, my lord! If you wish to eradicate Naraku, you need to understand it. That is why I wanted you to come see Totosai.” 

The flea-youkai glared at the swordsmith. “Even though he’s being more difficult than usual now.”   


Inuyasha grimaced. “I can’t eradicate Naraku if I don’t know where he is! Myoga, you idiot! Why would you lie about that?”   


Myoga hopped up and down in Inuyasha’s palm, trying to maintain his attention.

“It was the only way to get you here!” he pleaded. “Please, just listen to Totosai.”

Inuyasha huffed. “Fine.” He glanced at Totosai. “What do you have to say, old man?”   


Totosai looked at him with a blank expression on his face.

“Huh? About what?”   


Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “I’m out of here.”   


“Totosai!” Myoga scolded. “Help the poor boy!”   


“Alright, alright,” Totosai conceded. “It’ll only take a moment, Inuyasha.”   


The hanyo paused, frowning at the old man. “I’m listening.”

Totosai nodded. “The key to mastering Tessaiga is within you. You’ve been on your own since you left the castle, right?”   


Inuyasha shook his head. “Not the whole time. There was...one person, but I’m not with him anymore. I’m traveling with someone else right now.”   


“Interesting,” Totosai replied. “I sense that Tessaiga has certainly taken to her.”

Inuyasha paused. “What does that mean? And how did you even know it was a woman I’m traveling with?”

“My Lord!” Myoga exclaimed. “Have you found yourself a lady?”   


Inuyasha blushed. “It’s not like that! Now is that all you have to say to me? I’m ready to leave.”

Myoga laughed for a moment while Totosai rolled his eyes.   


“Just remember what I said,” Totosai reminded him. “The key to mastering Tessaiga is inside of you, but not  _ for _ you. Do you understand?”

Inuyasha shook his head. “Not a bit. What do you mean not  _ for _ me? I need to fight off my enemies. What other purpose could the sword have?”

Totosai shook his head. “You still have a very long way to go.”

“Whatever,” Inuyasha replied curtly. He’d had just about enough of this. “So you don’t know anything about Naraku’s whereabouts?”

“Not at all,” Totosai said. “But perhaps you could check with some other youkai.”   


Inuyasha frowned. “I can’t interact with any other youkai. They’ll turn me into Sesshomaru and then I’ll be screwed. I won’t be able to find Naraku if I’m trapped in the castle.”

Myoga nodded. “How about this? You continue to travel as you were and keep an ear out for any leads. I will go around in an attempt to find someone who knows something. When you’re as small as I am, it’s easy to overhear things.”

“Tell me about the woman you’re with,” Totosai cut in. “Who is she?”

“She’s...just a woman,” Inuyasha replied, not wanting to divulge too much. “Anyway, I’m leaving. Come find me when you hear something, Myoga.”

He nodded in parting before leaving the cave.

“Goodbye!” Myoga called.

“Treat that sword with respect,” Totosai ordered.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and left the cave. He looked across the water and bit his lip, deciding to take a moment to think about his next move.

He walked a bit down the shore and sat down on a rock, wondering what he should do.

_ They weren’t all that helpful,  _ he mused.  _ I need to keep moving on my own. I just need to tell Kagome I think it’s best we part ways and...that’ll be that.  _

He felt a small twinge of guilt, but he tried to push it from his mind. 

His priority was finding Naraku and gaining revenge.

Inuyasha sighed and got up, diving into the water to begin swimming back to the mainland. Once he’d reached the beach, he shook himself off and went to find Kagome.

She was sitting where he left her, but she had her knitting things in her lap.

When she caught sight of him, she smiled.

“That didn't take too long,” she said as she put her knitting away. “How did it go? Did the swordsmith help you with your sword?”

Inuyasha winced. “Uh...not exactly. Apparently my sword is a bit more... _ special _ than I thought.”   


Kagome looked intrigued. “Really? Wow, that must be exciting.”

“Not exactly,” Inuyasha grumbled. “It’s a pain because it’ll take time for me to figure out how to get it to work. I didn’t get any real answers.”   


Kagome smiled. “I believe in you. I know you’ll get it eventually.”

Inuyasha looked at her, noting the sincerity in her tone and the encouraging gleam in her eyes. He couldn’t help the pang of guilt that had settled itself in the pit of his stomach during his swim, but he knew he needed to tell her it was time to part ways.

“Um, Kagome…” He trailed off, uncertain of how to proceed.

She laughed, distracting him.

“What’s so funny?” he asked defensively.

Kagome smiled and shook her head. “Nothing. You just sound kinda funny saying my name, is all. It’s a little weird.” Her smile brightened. “But it’s nice, too. It’s a step up from just ‘woman.’”

Inuyasha’s rude retort died in his throat as their eyes locked. Kagome’s smile remained, and Inuyasha couldn’t remember the last time someone had smiled at him so much, let alone been so  _ kind _ to him.

And, in all honesty, he wasn’t ready to let that go.

_ Maybe we could travel together a little longer. That probably won’t be too bad… _

“Whatever, woman,” he replied,  _ almost _ smiling when she laughed at him using the nickname again. “Let’s go.”

Kagome’s smile was just as bright when she nodded and followed after him as he started to walk away.

“So do you have somewhere in mind for us to go next?” Kagome asked. “We saw the swordsmith, so now where should we go?”

Inuyasha bit his lip, trying to decide what his next step should be.

_ I don’t want to just wander around aimlessly until Myoga finds me again,  _ he mused.  _ But what else can I do? I can’t think of any other option… _

“I don’t know,” Inuyasha finally admitted. “Do you have any ideas?”

Kagome took a moment to think.

“Maybe we could do something fun,” she suggested.

Inuyasha frowned. “Fun? What’s the point in that?”

Kagome rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on, Inuyasha. We just made this long trekk here. I can tell you’re disappointed about the sword, so why don’t we do something  _ fun _ to take your mind off of it?”

“Like what?” Inuyasha asked, regretting his question.   


“What kinds of things do you enjoy doing?” she asked.

“Nothing.”   


“Nothing?”

_ “Nothing.” _   


Kagome laughed. “Fine, then  _ I _ will suggest some stuff and we’ll do whatever you hate the least. Okay?” Without waiting for his response, Kagome began listing off some ideas.

Inuyasha tuned her out, knowing he was going to hate all of her ideas. 

But then one word caught his attention.

“Did you say  _ hanami?” _ he asked, interrupting her.

Kagome nodded. “Yeah. We’re bound to see  _ hanami _ celebrations since it’s the season for sakura blossoms. We’ll probably even see some of the newer ones. I think they’re called  _ somei yoshino.”  _

_ Mother used to love hanami celebrations,  _ he recalled.  _ I haven’t been to one since she died... _

“Do you want to go to one?” Kagome asked, her voice sounding gentler.

Inuyasha looked at her, and he could see the understanding in her eyes.

The way she could so easily tell how he was feeling...it was startling.

“I guess,” Inuyasha replied, trying to sound casual. “They’re not that bad, so...fine.”

Kagome smiled. “Great. Let me check the map and see how far away we are from the places I’ve been. I’m so excited! I’ll need to get a new yukata.”

_ A yukata...that’s right. Mother used to always wear a traditional yukata and I would wear… _

He gripped the strap of his bag a bit tighter, thinking about the clothing he still kept with him.

“We can find something new for you to wear, too,” Kagome continued. 

“Maybe,” Inuyasha replied, not wanting to explain the clothing he had with him.

Kagome pulled the map from her bag and paused, trying to find whatever town she was looking for.

“Ah-ha!” she said as pointed to a spot on the map. “Here we go.  _ Hanami _ is lovely in Higo. Let’s see. It’ll take us…” She paused to do the math in her head. 

“About two or two-and-a-half days to walk there. Sound good?”   


Inuyasha nodded. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

As they set off, Inuyasha settled into a silence. He started to think about what the old swordsmith had said, but he soon pushed it from his mind. At the moment, he didn’t want to think about the riddles the stupid old man had been spewing.

He focused instead of how it had felt oddly comforting to feel two youkai auras so close to him. It had been awhile since he’d been able to interact with other youkai. He was so used to only feeling humans’ auras...it was oddly soothing to have felt the aura of another youkai.

“So, Inuyasha,” Kagome began, breaking the silence. “Can I ask you something?”

Inuyasha shrugged. “I guess.”

Kagome was quiet for another moment.

“Your aura feels stronger,” she finally said. “Like it’s been rejuvenated.”   


Inuyasha glanced at her.  _ It’s insane how easily she can read me. _

“Kinda,” he replied. “It’s been awhile since I’ve talked with another youkai, so…”

“Why?” Kagome pressed.

Inuyasha frowned, wondering if he should tell her.

_ If she starts asking more questions, I’ll just shut her down. _

“I’m...kind of a fugitive,” he admitted. Kagome’s eyes widened.

“Um,  _ what? _ Does that mean we could get  _ ambushed _ by youkai at some point?”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “Not if we’re careful!”

Kagome huffed. “What did you do to make you have to go on the run?”

Inuyasha grimaced. “My older half-brother is the Inu no Taisho, which is kind of like the ruler of all youkai.”   


“So you’re a prince?” Kagome asked incredulously. Inuyasha grimaced.

“No,” he lied. “I’m not. I’m just…”   


“Royalty?” Kagome supplied. “Nobility?”

Inuyasha huffed. That didn’t sound as bad. “Nobility is...closer.”

“So do I have to call you ‘Your Highness’ now?” Kagome teased. 

“Don’t be stupid,” Inuyasha scolded. “I pretty much renounced my title anyway. If I went back...well, let's just say I wouldn't be welcomed with open arms.”

“Why?” Kagome asked. “What did you do?”

Inuyasha paused. “I...didn't like living in the castle.” Which was true. “I faced a lot of hate for being a hanyo.” Which was also true. “So I left.”

“I'm sorry,” Kagome said sincerely. “I guess we’re alike in that way...both on the run, both a little too different to fit in.”   


Inuyasha locked eyes with her, seeing the understanding in her blue irises. She gave a sad smile.

“Right?” she asked gently.

Inuyasha couldn’t help but keep his eyes on hers.

“Right,” he agreed quietly.

“Well, Sir Nobleman,” she teased. “You told me another something about yourself, so I guess I’ll tell you something, too. I’ll tell you what the power you’ve been feeling is if you're still curious.” 

Inuyasha’s eyes widened. “Really?” Kagome nodded.

“It’s from a jewel called the Shikon no Tama,” she explained. “I’m its...guardian, I guess you could say. The person who is after me wants to take it from me and use it for their own gain. That’s the power you’ve been feeling. When I do my ‘miko stuff’ at waterfalls, I’m purifying it. It’s best done near water sources like that.”

_ Shikon no Tama...I’ve heard legends about it. It’s supposedly one of the most powerful things ever created. _

“Why would you tell me about it?” he asked. “Aren’t you afraid I would try to steal it from you?”

Kagome shook her head. “No. You saved my life from thieves without a second thought. How could I not trust you after that?”

_ She trusts me that much? That only makes the guilt I’m feeling even worse…but I’ve got my answer. The jewel must be what Naraku wants from her. But why? _

“Well, thanks for telling me,” he replied flatly. “Why does the person chasing you want the jewel?”

Kagome smiled. “One secret at a time.”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and looked ahead, focusing on walking forward.

“So,” Kagome began, her voice becoming cheerful, “we’ve got a quick journey ahead of us and then  _ hanami. _ I’m so excited. When was the last time you attended one?”

Inuyasha thought back.  _ Easily sixteen years...maybe longer. _ _   
_

“It’s been a long time,” he said. “I used to go with my family. My mother really loved it.”   


Kagome smiled again. “My mom loved going, too. We would go to ones up north, though. I’ve only been to Higo once or twice to celebrate by myself.” She laughed. “Well, not by myself anymore. It’ll be nice to have someone to go with again.”

Inuyasha looked at her, at the way her blue eyes shone a little brighter, no doubt from her excitement.

He wanted to say something to her, something nice to ease the guilt he was feeling, but he didn’t think words could capture what was going through his mind.

So he stayed quiet, allowing her to chatter on about  _ hanami. _

He was looking forward to it, too.

O.o.O.o.O

A few hours into their trekk to Higo, Inuyasha paused.

He frowned. “I smell human blood.”   


Kagome’s eyes widened as she looked around their surroundings. “Where?”   


Inuyasha walked off, beckoning for Kagome to follow him.

Eventually, they came upon a woman sitting on the ground with a small pool of blood in front of her.

“Are you injured?” Kagome asked as they approached. The woman sniffled and looked up at Kagome and Inuyasha.

“I tripped and cut my foot on a rock,” she said in a shaky voice. “The bleeding hasn’t stopped.”   


Kagome knelt next to the woman and grabbed a few medical supplies out of her bag. 

The cut on the woman’s foot was deep, but it also looked a little mangled.

“I think you might have broken it,” Kagome said. “Do you mind if I touch it a bit to check?” The woman sniffled again and nodded.

Kagome gently felt along the woman’s bone, decreasing the pressure of her fingers when the woman winced and hissed in pain.

“I’m almost certain that it’s broken,” Kagome admitted. “You’ll need to see a proper doctor for it, but I can wrap it up for you for the time being. Are you by yourself out here?”   


A fresh wave of tears fell down the woman’s cheeks. “Yes.”

“Why would you come out here alone, woman?” Inuyasha asked gruffly. “You’re just askin’ for trouble.”   


“Inuyasha!” Kagome scolded, shooting him a sharp glare. “You’re not helping.”

Kagome turned back to the woman and started pulling out the items from her bag. 

“I’m going to clean the wound and wrap your foot,” she explained. “Is that okay?” The woman nodded.

“Yes, thank you,” she replied. Kagome smiled and got to work.

Once the woman’s foot was clean and wrapped, Kagome put her things away.

“Alright, I’m finished,” she announced. “I’ll help you up.”   


Kagome helped ease the woman to a standing position, aiding her in keeping her weight solely to her uninjured foot.

_ Okay, we got up,  _ she mused,  _ but how do we actually move? _

Before she could make any suggestions, she felt a clawed hand set on her back, gently pushing her to the side.

She opened her mouth to argue, only to stop short when she saw Inuyasha help the woman get on his back.

He blushed when Kagome smiled gratefully.

“Keh,” he scoffed. “You can’t very well carry her, can you?”   


Kagome shook her head. “You’ve got me there. Which way should we go, ma’am?”

The woman gave them some quick instructions before they set off toward the nearby town. 

“So what were you doing out there by yourself?” Kagome asked politely. “If you don’t mind me asking.”   


The woman grimaced. “I got into an argument with my husband. I was trying to walk off my anger, but...looks like I won’t really be walking much now.”   


“I see,” Kagome replied. “Would you like for us to take you home to him or take you straight to a hospital?”

“Home, please,” the woman said. “Hopefully my injury will dissipate any lingering anger on his part.”

Kagome smiled. “I should hope so.”

The woman directed them to her house, and when they reached it, she encouraged them to head inside.

Upon entering, a man stood up from where he was seated on a mat on the floor.

“Darling!” he cried. “I’ve been worried sick about you!” He looked at Inuyasha and Kagome. “What’s going on?”

The woman dissolved into tears again. “I hurt my foot.”

Inuyasha and Kagome exchanged a glance. 

_ I think it’s time to get out of here.  _

“Um,” Kagome began, “I believe her foot is broken. I wrapped the injury as best I can, but she’ll need to see a doctor.”   


The man nodded. “Thank you so much. I appreciate it.”   


The woman smiled at Kagome through her tears. “Thank you both for your help.”

Once Inuyasha and Kagome left, the latter took a deep breath.

“I’m glad that’s over,” she mumbled. “I like helping people, but that was a bit much.”

Inuyasha tilted his head to look at her. “What? You don’t like wailing women?”   


Kagome laughed. “As a matter of fact, I don’t. I don’t handle people crying very well. It’s a little awkward.” She shook her head. “I don’t usually know what to say.”

“You seemed to know what to say to that woman,” Inuyasha pointed out.

Kagome shrugged. “I suppose. Thanks.”

They fell into a silence as Kagome’s thoughts drifted to the kindness Inuyasha had shown the woman. He hadn’t even hesitated to carry her, and Kagome wondered what other virtues he was hiding from her.

_ He’s brave and strong...and more considerate than he seems. He’s kind of an enigma. _

Her thoughts were a bit all over the place until they’d decided to stop for the night, so much so that she didn’t realize she was staring at Inuyasha.

Inuyasha glanced at her and frowned. “What are you lookin’ at?”

Kagome shook her head and came to sit down next to him where he was getting a fire started. 

“Oh, nothing.”

Inuyasha frowned but turned back to the wood in front of him. Once he’d gotten it going, he leaned back on his hands and sat quietly.

Kagome bit her lip, wanting to break the silence but not sure what to say.

So she just sighed and lay down on her back on the ground, staring up at the sky and admiring the stars.

“Wow,” she breathed. “The stars are so beautiful tonight.”

She heard Inuyasha scoff quietly. “They’re just stars.”   


Kagome lifted her head up to grin at him. “Just shut up and lay down,” she teased. “Admire the stars for a few minutes before the flames smoke them out.”

Inuyasha grumbled a bit before laying down next to her. 

Kagome sighed contentedly as they lay in a peaceful silence.

Finally, she spoke.

“So I thought it was very kind of you to carry that woman earlier.”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “Nothin’ kind about it. I just wanted to get on our way.”   


Kagome smiled. “Sure.” 

_ He’s kinder than he lets on... _

But Kagome felt a little guilty.

“I wish I could’ve done more for her,” she mused out loud, keeping her gaze on the stars above them. “But I don’t know how to set broken bones.”

Inuyasha frowned. “That’s why you told her to see a doctor? I figured you just didn’t want to do it in the middle of a forest. I thought you said you knew medical stuff.”

Kagome shook her head. “Kinda. Miko are just well-versed in some sorts of healing practices. My mother actually knew how to set broken bones, but...she never got to teach me.”

She felt a lump in her throat, knowing that it was one more piece of her mother’s knowledge that she’d never get to acquire from her.

“You did what you could for that woman,” Inuyasha said, breaking her from the sad thoughts. “And she was obviously grateful for whatever help you could give her.”

Kagome turned her head to the side to look at him. “You think so?”

Inuyasha shrugged. “Yeah. And...I think that’s what you should focus on. What you can do and what you did learn, not what you can’t and didn’t.”

Kagome smiled and looked back up at the night sky. “You’re right. Thanks, Inuyasha. Sorry I got...mopey.”   


He was quiet for a moment before he spoke again. 

“My mom taught me how to paint,” he began. “We would go outside with paper and paints and just...paint everything we saw around us. The sky, trees, grass...anything. Then we would paint each other. She was halfway through painting a portrait of me before she died. It was still in her quarters back home when I left, but my brother might have gotten rid of it by now.”

He turned his head to the side and Kagome did the same, allowing their eyes to meet.

“So...I get it,” he said. “Feeling half-finished, I guess.”

Kagome hummed. “Yeah...but it’s nice to have a friend who gets it.”

Inuyasha turned his eyes back to the sky. “Yeah. If you can’t get mopey with a friend, who else can you get mopey with?”

Kagome smiled. “I guess you’re right. So...is this your way of admitting we’re friends now? You might as well accept it at this point.”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “Fine, woman. We’re friends.” 

Her smile grew a bit, but she didn’t tease him again, knowing this was something big for him, regardless of how small it might seem to someone looking in from the outside.

Kagome looked up at the sky and welcomed the privilege of a baby step in crossing the bridge between them, despite the fact that she knew the bridge stretched on quite a bit further.

But a baby step was still a step, just as him using her name had been, so she would be patient.

For now, they were friends.

To be continued...


	5. Not With Haste

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am screaming because LostInFantasyWorlds did a perfect art commission for this chapter!! AHHHHH *screams* Thank you so much again, Taryn! <3
> 
> This chapter is named after the Mumford & Sons song "Not With Haste." It's a beautiful song and the lyrics fit this chapter pretty well so I recommend listening to it :)
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or its characters. All rights to Rumiko Takahashi.

**Chapter 5: Not With Haste**

The two days they spent traveling to Higo were uneventful for the most part. 

Inuyasha could sense a lightness in Kagome, and he wondered if the reason was her excitement for  _ hanami _ or his admission of their newfound friendship.

Whatever the reason, she smiled a bit more and seemed even more chipper than usual, which Inuyasha didn’t even think was possible.

Inuyasha stayed rather quiet, his statement about them being friends sending him into an embarrassed quiet.

It made Kagome happy, but…

He was a little nervous about it. Memories of his friendship with Miroku were flooding his mind, of how it had taken over a year for him to finally open up to Miroku, and how he’d learned nearly everything about Inuyasha over the remaining two years they’d traveled together. 

But somehow, Inuyasha had opened up to Kagome in just under two-and-a-half weeks, and it made him uneasy. It seemed unfathomable.

Kagome was just so kind and understanding about everything, it seemed, so it was almost  _ too _ easy for him to be a little more open with her than he’d initially been with Miroku.

And the smile she’d give him when he told her something about himself, like the paintings he and his mother did...no one had ever smiled at him like that.

He didn’t know if that was a good or bad thing.   
Probably a bad one...because he wasn’t with her to be smiled at, or to have her be kind to him, or to be friends with her, of all things.

He felt like an idiot.

A  _ guilty _ idiot.

Inuyasha made a resolve to pull back a little. He couldn’t let her in any more than he already had. He couldn’t show her any more of the softer parts of himself.

Even though...he found himself  _ wanting _ to.

The day before they arrived in Higo, Inuyasha lay on the ground, staring up at the sky. He recalled the moment between him and Kagome under the stars when he admitted their friendship, and it only made his stomach lurch.

It was too much, but somehow not enough.

He looked at her where she was laying down across the dying fire. He sighed and rolled over with his back to her, uncertain of the thoughts that were muddling his mind.

Inuyasha didn’t sleep at all that night.

o.O.o

The day of  _ hanami, _ Kagome woke up with a smile.

“Today’s the day!” Kagome said excitedly when Inuyasha woke her up just after dawn. “I could barely sleep last night because I was so excited.”

Inuyasha shook his head, knowing full well she’d crashed as soon as her head hit the ground the previous night.   


He tried to keep himself from thinking about his conflicted feelings that he’d spent the night pondering, deciding to instead focus on what they needed to get done before  _ hanami. _

“I need to gather some herbs and stuff,” she said as she stretched and stood up. “Then I’ll make a few remedies and sell them in the town. I need money for a new yukata.”

Inuyasha nodded. “Alright.”

Kagome grabbed her bag and smiled. “I’m going to get ready for the day down at the river and gather some things I need to make the remedies. I’ll be back soon.”

Inuyasha nodded again before Kagome set off.

The hanyo sighed and got to work making a fire. He hoped it would be the last time he’d have to go about doing the task with rocks; with their trip into the nearby town, he could probably buy some matches. He also needed to buy a kosode for his hakama and haori set.

When Kagome returned from the river, her bag was slung over her back and her hands were filled with what looked like herbs and plants.

“I’m back,” Kagome said. “It’ll take me a little while to make the poultices and remedies, but I’ll do it as quickly as I can.” Inuyasha nodded.

Inuyasha watched as she grabbed a small wooden bowl and wide stick from her bag and began crushing up some of the plants. Her eyes were narrowed in concentration as she worked, and Inuyasha was more than a little transfixed as he watched her go about her task.

Her fingers worked quickly and nimbly, with great skill and familiarity. 

Inuyasha wondered if doing that reminded her of her mother…

When Kagome was finally finished, she grabbed a small pouch from her bag and put the remedy in it before starting the process all over again.

“I’m done,” she said a while later. “Are you ready to head into town now?”

Inuyasha nodded and grabbed his bag before they got up and began making their way toward the town.

“So...what kind of remedies did you make?” Inuyasha asked as they walked.

“There’s one for fevers,” she explained. “One for a cough, and one for headaches. They’re pretty complex so I can sell them for decent prices.”

Inuyasha nodded. “Oh. That’s good. How do you find people to sell them to?”   


“I typically find an apothecary or herbalist,” she replied. “Then they buy it off me and sell it to other people.”

Inuyasha frowned. “How do they know you’re not making fake crap?”   


Kagome laughed. “A true apothecary or herbalist can always tell when something is real, and the stuff I make always is.”

They reached the town shortly after and began their search for an apothecary or herbalist.

Well, Kagome did. Inuyasha had never been to an apothecary, so he just trailed behind her as she walked.

When she found one, she was able to sell her remedies for a price that made Inuyasha’s eyes widen.

_ She can sell them for that much? That’s way more than I thought she would get. _

Once the transaction was finished, Kagome tucked the money in her bag and smiled at Inuyasha.

“Do you want to get something to eat first?” she asked as they resumed walking through the town. “I’m buying.” She grinned and patted her bag.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “Makes three sales and suddenly thinks she’s invincible.”   


Kagome laughed and nudged him with her shoulder. Inuyasha couldn’t help the smile that came to his face.

They opted on stopping at a small food place. Kagome bought them each a few pieces of fruit that they munched on while walking.

“I need to get a yukata,” Kagome announced as she finished her first piece of fruit. “Do you want to come with me or is shopping not really your thing?”

Inuyasha shrugged. “I don’t care.”

Kagome smiled. “Okay. You can hold my bag for me while I look at stuff.” Inuyasha couldn’t hide his chuckle.

They stopped at the first shop they found when they’d finished eating, so Inuyasha followed her inside.

He wasn’t entirely sure what she was looking for, so he just trailed behind her with her bag slung over his shoulder.

Luckily, it didn’t take her too long to pick out a yukata. Inuyasha didn’t pay much attention to it, but he saw a flash of green before she went to pay for it.

Once she’d finished, she took her bag back from Inuyasha and put the new yukata in it.

“I’m good to go,” she announced as they left the shop. “Is there anything you need?”

“I actually do need some things,” Inuyasha said. “So...we’ll have to make a couple of stops.”

Kagome nodded. “Okay. What do you need?”

“First a kosode,” he replied. “But I need to make some money first.”   


Kagome laughed lightly. “Am I finally going to find out how you make money?”

“I have a, uh, skill,” he lied. “So...I can do that sort of on the spot and people pay really well for it.”   


Kagome raised an eyebrow. “And what is this ‘skill?’”

o.O.o

“So you’re a conman.”   


Inuyasha glared at Kagome from where she was walking beside him.

“I’m not a conman,” he replied as he shoved the newly-earned money deeper into his bag. “And it's not conning. It’s...creativity.”

Kagome shook her head. “Inuyasha, you’re pretending to see people’s future by reading their palms. That’s just crazy.”

He would never forget the look on Kagome’s face when he’d offered to read the palms of two women walking past them. They’d been eager and more than willing to pay for his... _ services. _

“How do you know I’m faking?” Inuyasha shot back. “Who said I’m not clairvoyant?”   


Kagome gave him a look, obviously telling him she knew he was lying.

“Okay, fine,” he replied. “But it’s a quick way to make money, so...who cares? Besides, when you put someone in a good mood by giving them a good fortune, they’re more likely to have a better day.”  _ At least, that’s what Miroku said. _   


Kagome laughed. “Where did you learn to do that?”

Inuyasha hesitated. “I used to travel with someone who used that tactic. I learned from him.”

He thought back to Miroku counting out money after they left a town, explaining how he managed to make so much money from it. Inuyasha had always rolled his eyes, but now he was somewhat grateful for the boasting. He at least knew how to do it himself.   


“You used to travel with someone?” Kagome asked. “I thought you were in hiding.”

“I’m hiding from other youkai,” Inuyasha corrected. “The person I traveled with was a plain old human.”

Kagome frowned. “Why don’t you guys travel together anymore?”   


Inuyasha thought back to the years he’d spent traveling with Miroku and how it had all changed upon him meeting one woman. 

He thought about how he’d first met Miroku in the forest, and the determination he’d seen in his eyes had him stopping when Miroku offered to read his palm.

Inuyasha had declined, of course, but he and Miroku had talked for a while after that and figured out they had the same goal. Miroku’s father had been murdered by Naraku, so he was just a simple guy wandering around, trying to find revenge.

Or find someone to help him do it. Inuyasha fit the bill perfectly.

They traveled together for three years, but then that woman came along and ruined the whole thing.

“He fell in love,” Inuyasha explained curtly. “Then he married the girl and settled down. That was over a year ago. I haven’t seen the idiot since.”

“Oh,” Kagome replied. “Well, falling in love isn’t such a bad thing. It’s wrong that he left you like that, though.”

“Falling in love  _ is _ a bad thing,” Inuyasha shot back. “It just leads to...disappointment.”

He looked away from her, not wanting to get into such an intense conversation so soon before what Inuyasha was expecting to be an actually enjoyable evening.

“Anyway, I just need the kosode and one other thing,” he said, changing the subject. “Maybe I’ll find us some sweet buns for dinner or something.”   
“Yum.”

o.O.o

Inuyasha got his new kosode and a box of matches, eager to use them instead of having to use the stupid rocks to light a flame.

Kagome found her favorite type of tea in one of the shops, so she’d asked if they could boil some water over a fire so she could make them a few cups before they went to view the  _ hanami _ celebration.

Inuyasha liked the tea, so he didn’t complain.

Their plan was to eat their buns and drink their tea before heading toward a nearby park that was filled with sakura trees.

As Kagome pulled out a small kettle she’d purchased and filled it with water, Inuyasha grabbed his box of matches to start the fire.

When he lit one, Kagome gasped. 

“What is that thing?” she asked incredulously as he lit the wood and got the fire started.

Inuyasha was surprised. “It’s a match. You've never seen one before?”

Kagome shook her head. “No. How did you make it catch on fire like that?”

“Uh, friction,” Inuyasha guessed. “I think. They're still kinda new here but they're really helpful.”

“Can I try?” Kagome asked eagerly as she set the kettle down. Inuyasha nodded and handed her the box.

Brows knit in determination, Inuyasha watched as she pulled a new match out of the box and attempted to light it. 

“You have to do it quickly,” Inuyasha instructed. “Like how I did it.”

Kagome nodded and did just that; she gasped when the match lit up. 

“Wow!” she exclaimed. “I did it!” She held the match up in front of her, peering at it.

“Wait, don’t hold it straight up like that,” Inuyasha warned. Kagome frowned. 

“Why not?” she asked. 

Before Inuyasha could argue, the flame licked down the match toward Kagome’s fingers. 

She shrieked in pain when it reached her skin and tossed the match onto the ground. 

“Stupid!” Inuyasha scolded as he got up to stomp out the flame. “I told you not to hold it straight up. The flame goes  _ down. _ You have to hold it to the side to keep it from moving down as fast.”

He smelled the saltiness of tears and froze. 

“Why are you crying?” he asked, panicked. 

Kagome sniffled. “Because that hurt, idiot. I just got  _ burned.” _

Inuyasha softened a bit and reached out to take her hand. 

“Let me see,” he said, lowering his voice. He gently gripped her hand and peered at her fingers. They were a bit red, but there were no signs of blisters or swelling. 

“Sorry,” Kagome said meekly. “That was my fault.”   


Inuyasha shook his head. “Calm down, woman. It was an accident. I think you’ll be okay. It doesn’t look like the burns are that bad.”

He looked up, accidently locking gazes with her. Kagome’s eyes widened a bit before she smiled at him.

“Thanks,” she said. Inuyasha felt his heart skip a beat, which he was pretty sure had never happened to him before.

The way the sunshine fell on Kagome made the blue of her eyes even more piercing than usual, giving her a radiant shine as she smiled at him.

Her chocolate-cherry scent became deeper and warmer, and Inuyasha’s grip on her hand tightened without him realizing it.

Before he could open his mouth to say anything or run away from such an unfamiliar feeling, Kagome spoke.

“Are you okay?” she asked, her voice quiet. Inuyasha broke himself from their eye contact and let go of her hand. 

“Uh, yeah,” he lied as got up to move away from her.. “Just...maybe you should put some water on your fingers so they don't get swollen.”   


He stoked the fire a bit, keeping his eyes on the flames as he took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down.

_ What  _ was _ that?  _ he mused, purposefully trying to avoid eye contact with Kagome.  _ I’ve never felt so...weird and fluttery before. _

“That really hurt,” Kagome said as she stuck her fingers in her mouth. “I didn’t think the match would burn me like that.”   


Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “The  _ match _ doesn’t burn you. The flame does.”   


Kagome looked at him. “Yeah, but the match created the fire, so technically I was burned by the match, not the flame.”

Inuyasha shrugged. “Whatever.” 

For some reason, her words stuck with him.

Because he knew…

_ He _ would be the one to burn  _ her _ soon.

o.O.o

Once they’d finished their tea, Kagome suggested they start getting ready. Inuyasha looked away when she pulled the clothing from her bag.

“Uh, I’ll turn around,” he said as he moved so he was sitting with his back to her. He heard her laugh quietly before the sounds of rustling fabric became the only noise between them.

After a few moments, he heard Kagome hum in satistication.

“Okay, you can look now,” she said.

Inuyasha turned around, setting his gaze on her as his eyes widened.

The yukata she’d gotten was a deep green with a red obi. It was simple, with no designs on it but no less lovely, and it hugged her body in a way he hadn’t seen yet. The way the colors somehow managed to make her blue eyes even brighter was a mystery to him.

He was used to seeing her wear loose-fitting yukata or the occasional simplified western-style dress, but never anything like what she had on at that moment.

She was distracted as she tried to put her hair up in a pin, so she didn’t notice Inuyasha’s attention on her.

_ She looks...beautiful.  _ Kagome _ is beautiful. _

Once her hair was pulled up in a twist, Kagome glanced at him. 

“Aren’t you going to change?” she asked. “I thought you said you had something you could wear.”

_ It’s been a long time since I wore it, so maybe I should just wear my usual clothes. I would feel pretty stupid wearing it, especially since I have to wear a cloak with a hood to cover my ears. It’s not like anyone would be able to see it anyway. _   


Inuyasha hesitated. “Eh...I changed my mind.”   


Kagome smiled. “Don’t leave me hanging, especially after you did all that conning just to get money for a new kosode. Go change!”

“It’s not conning,” he argued, repeating his words from earlier. “It’s...never mind. I’ll change.”   


Inuyasha adjusted the bag on his shoulder and went to step behind a tree to change.

With his view off of Kagome, he could focus a bit better.    


As he changed into his clothing, he tried to relax.

_ It’s just Kagome. I don’t know why I’m getting all... _ weird _ about something as stupid as what she’s wearing. _

Once he was dressed, he glanced down at himself and felt a burning sense of nostalgia fill him.

It had been a long time since he’d worn it.

A vision in red, he stepped out from behind the trees and avoided eye contact with Kagome.

“You look great, Inuyasha,” Kagome said when she saw him. “That’s a really nice set of clothing. What is it?”   


“It’s a robe made from wool of the fire rat,” he explained quickly. “My, um, mother made it for me when I was a kid.”   


“It looks really nice on you,” she said. “Do you want a pin for your hair, too, or are you going to leave it down like usual?”   


Inuyasha paused.  _ Maybe I could pin it back enough to cover my ears...then I won’t have to wear my cloak. _

“I’ll put it up,” Inuyasha replied. “Do you have an extra pin?” Kagome nodded and dug around in her bag until she found one.

Inuyasha thanked her when she handed it to him before he started tying his hair up.

He cursed softly as he tried to tame his hair, unable to work through the thick locks enough to arrange them over his ears, especially with his claws in the way.

“Can I help?” Kagome asked. Reluctantly, Inuyasha nodded.

Kagome smiled and pulled a comb out of her bag.

“I’ve been dying to touch your hair,” she said as she walked over to him. “Sit down on the ground in front of me, okay?”   


Inuyasha huffed but did as she said. Kagome knelt behind him and began running her comb through his hair.

The hanyo winced as the comb began working through the stray knots in his hair. Once she was finished with the comb, he expected her to put the pin right in, but then he felt her fingers dive into the locks.

She was still just as gentle with her hands as she smoothed through his hair. Inuyasha nearly melted against her, daring to lean back the slightest bit to get a little closer.

“Your hair is so soft,” she mused. “It’s nice.”

“Thanks,” he replied, barely a whisper. 

“But don’t worry,” she said. “I won’t touch your ears.”

Inuyasha’s eyes drifted closed as she continued to run her hands through his hair.

“You...you can touch them if you want.” 

Slowly, he felt Kagome’s fingers tentatively stroke one ear. 

It had been so long since someone had touched his ears...he forgot how comforting it was.

Kagome moved her other hand up so she could rub both at the same time.

“They’re like little dumplings,” she murmured. “They’re so soft. It’s a shame you always have to hide them.” 

Eventually, Kagome’s exploring hands wandered back down to run through his hair a few more times before she started to gather the long locks into a single plait. He felt her incorporate a few pieces of his bangs as she adjusted them to hide his ears.

After a few more moments, Kagome smoothed out the last bit and stood up.

“Finished,” she announced. Inuyasha didn’t miss the hint of a blush that was on her cheeks.

She grabbed a mirror from her bag and held it out to show Inuyasha.

To his surprise, he looked...almost human. Aside from the silver hair and the golden eyes, of course.

Kagome had managed to cover his ears completely with several pieces of his bangs while still making sure to keep the spots covered where human ears would have been.

“Wow,” he said. “That’s...surprisingly good.”   


Kagome smiled. “I miss your ears, but you do look nice with your hair up.” 

She took the mirror back and put it in her bag before smiling again.

“Are you ready to go?”

Inuyasha stood up and nodded. They hid their bags nearby before setting off.

They made their way toward the public park that Kagome recalled from her previous travels in Higo, and as soon as they reached it, Inuyasha heard her gasp.

“It’s so beautiful!” she exclaimed.

Inuyasha looked around, taking in the sight of the sakura trees, and his eyes widened.

He felt the ghost of a hand taking his, squeezing his fingers.

He remembered his mother taking his hand when he was just a little tyke.

_ “Don’t wander off, my darling.  _ Hanami _ is best enjoyed when you’re with those you love.” _

Inuyasha felt a lump in his throat as the memory filled his heart.

He looked down, realizing that it was Kagome’s hand that he felt. She was gently tugging him along.

She smiled as he followed her before squeezing his hand and letting go.

When his hand was empty again, he almost felt...disappointed.

The sakura trees were overwhelmingly beautiful. The pink and white blossoms littered the ground like a soft carpet under their feet as they walked through the park.

“We should have brought a picnic,” Kagome commented as she took in the sights. “Oh, well. Maybe we can bring one next year.”

_ Next year… _

He wanted to argue, to say that there wouldn’t be a next year because once he had what he wanted, he would go back to being on his own.

But he didn’t say that because...the thought of not being alone was nice.

He shook his head. Maybe the scent of the blossoms was making him a little crazy.

A light breeze rustled the branches of the trees, causing petals and blossoms to rain from the limbs.

Kagome reached up and caught one in her hand before reaching out and catching another.

She smiled at Inuyasha as she tucked one behind her ear.

“My mother and I used to do this during  _ hanami,” _ she explained. “Here, yours is long enough.”

She took a moment to settle the blossom in his hair, trying to not dislodge the bangs that were hiding his ears.

She managed to tuck it safely on the side, right behind a concealed ear.

She smiled at her handiwork. “That looks nice. It’s the perfect touch.”   


Inuyasha blushed and looked away. “Keh.”

O.o.O.o.O

Kagome tried to keep her eyes on the sakura trees, but she couldn’t help the glances she made at Inuyasha.

He looked really good in his red clothing.

He had his arms crossed in his sleeves as they walked, and the red color somehow seemed to make his silver hair glow brighter as it hung down his back in the ponytail. 

The only thing missing was the presence of his ears, but she could tell he was relieved that she’d been able to hide them. 

As they walked throughout the park Kagome had visited in the past, she saw Inuyasha’s eyes widen.

There was a beauty in the way his golden eyes took in the sights. His mouth opened the smallest bit in surprise as he looked around the park, and Kagome wondered what sort of memories the sight might have been stirring at that moment.

“Wow,” Inuyasha said quietly. “This is…”

“Amazing,” Kagome finished when he trailed off. He nodded in agreement.

As they stopped in front of a particularly large tree, Kagome smiled at Inuyasha.

“Do you have a favorite  _ hanami _ memory?” she asked.

To her surprise, he nodded immediately.

“Yeah,” he replied. “It was one of the few times my half-brother went with us. I was young, so I don’t remember much about it, but...I know my mother smiled a lot that year. I think I heard her say something about ‘togetherness’ or some other crap like that.”

Kagome saw his face soften a bit.

“But...it was nice,” he finished.

Kagome smiled. “That sounds really special.”   


Inuyasha shrugged. “Keh. What about you?”

She paused to think for a moment. “Hm...I suppose it would be the first  _ hanami _ we attended after my brother, Sota, was born. His birthday was in the summer so his first flower celebration was the iris festival, so he was almost one by the time his first  _ hanami _ rolled around.”

She laughed lightly as she reflected on the memory. “He was still teething and he cried almost the whole time. But then a blossom fell from a tree and landed right on his little nose.”

Kagome closed her eyes, remembering the moment.

“It surprised him,” she said, her voice growing a bit softer. “So he stopped crying for a second. He looked so cute with his little sakura blossom nose...but then it blew away and he started crying again. That’s my favorite  _ hanami _ memory.”   


She opened her eyes and smiled up at the flowers above them.

“But it’s nice to make new memories,” she continued. “This  _ hanami _ will always be a good memory.” She turned to look at Inuyasha. “Because...it’s the first time in years that I haven’t attended one alone.”

Golden eyes widened, the color nearly burning her as their gazes locked.

“Me, too,” he finally replied, his voice quiet. “This  _ hanami _ ...me, too.”

Kagome smiled a final time before they resumed walking through the park.

As the sun began to set, several lanterns were lit and kept the park bright. 

It made everything even more lovely, which Kagome hadn’t thought possible.

And Inuyasha…

Inuyasha looked lovely, too.

O.o.O.o.O

Inuyasha had never been to a  _ hanami _ in Higo, and it filled him with mixed emotions. 

His mother would have loved it.

He could tell Kagome was feeling a similar pain; they were more alike than he was ready to admit, but it helped him feel less alone. There was a comfort in her presence and in her smile as they walked through the park together.

Inuyasha didn’t want the night to end.

But it did eventually, and as they walked back to where they’d hidden their bags in the forest, Inuyasha couldn’t help but admire Kagome in the moonlight.

The light of the lanterns in the park had created a brightness that reflected in her blue eyes, but now the moon was creating a softness in the irises, making them appear more gray than blue.

Her hair had mostly fallen from the pin, so it tumbled down her shoulders and back in soft waves, but the sakura blossom was still tucked securely behind her ear.

She looked ethereal.

Inuyasha tried to keep the thoughts from his mind, the thoughts of how beautiful she was and how big and lovely her smile had been throughout the whole evening.

“I can see your ears,” Kagome said, catching his eye. “Your bangs fell back down. Oh, well. No one is around anyway.”

She smiled. “The sakura blossom managed to stay in, though. It looks nice, especially now that your ears are showing.”

Kagome reached out to him, brushing a lock of stray hair from his face.

Inuyasha blushed. She paused right after, obviously realizing what she’d just done.

But surprisingly...Inuyasha didn’t mind it.

She took a step back and pulled her own pin from her hair, releasing the rest of it.

“I’m glad we went,” she said. “It was a lot of fun.”

“Yeah,” Inuyasha agreed quietly. “It was.” Kagome smiled a final time before grabbing her comb out of her bag and running it through her hair.

Inuyasha remembered how nice it had felt when she’d done it to his, and he wondered…

He waited until she was finished with her combing. Before she could put the comb away, Inuyasha spoke.

“Um, you know,” he began, “I haven’t worn a pin in my hair in a while. It’s probably...really tangled now. It might just get worse when I let it down so it might be a bad idea if I...leave it like that.”   


Kagome frowned at him before realization lit up her eyes.

“Oh! Do you want me to comb it out for you again?”

Inuyasha shrugged. “Keh. I don’t care.”   


Kagome laughed and sat down against the trunk of a tree. She patted the ground in front of her, encouraging him to sit down.

Once he was seated comfortably, Kagome pulled the pin and flower from his hair before slowly working the comb through the locks.   


Inuyasha allowed his eyes to drift closed as Kagome worked.

Eventually, she switched to running through his hair with her fingers, comb abandoned on top of the bag next to her.

It felt so good, so soothing and familiar, that Inuyasha felt himself starting to drift off to sleep.

O.o.O.o.O

It was one of the best  _ hanami _ celebrations that Kagome had ever attended.

Seeing Inuyasha’s eyes light up at the sights warmed her heart in a way she’d never felt, and he looked…

Handsome.

He looked  _ really _ handsome in his traditional robes and his hair pulled up in a sleek ponytail.

She was half-anticipating that she’d have to drag him around with her, but he’d seemed just as pleased to walk all around the park, even though he was a bit quieter and softer about it.

When Kagome would squeal at the sight of a large tree, Inuyasha’s eyes would widen a bit and his face would soften.

And the memory he’d shared with her...it made everything even more special.

It was an evening Kagome knew she’d never forget.

Especially because he more or less asked her to comb his hair again.

Which she didn’t mind in the slightest. She loved his hair.

As she combed his locks, she dared to swap the comb for her fingers, softly trailing her nails across his scalp before slowly running her fingers through the locks.

She heard him sigh, soft and content, a sound she’d never heard from him, and she smiled.

Eventually, he started to lean back, so Kagome figured it was a silent encouragement for her to continue.

But then he leaned all the way back so he was practically laying on her. His head was tilted back, falling to the side a bit as his cheek came to rest against her neck, and his arms were crossed in his sleeves.

Eyes wide, she glanced down at him and saw his eyes had closed.

He’d fallen asleep.

Kagome blushed at his closeness.

He smelled so good, even better up close, even better than she remembered from when he’d carried her on their journey to the swordsmith’s cave.

And he was warm. He was soft and warm.

Kagome couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so comfortable.

She smiled. 

_ This...this is the moment I know I won’t forget. _

To be continued...

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this first chapter, MamaBearCat! <3


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